Daddy Dearest
by CritterKid
Summary: AU post "On My Way". We all know the wedding was stopped when they got the call about Quinn's accident. But what if they didn't?
1. Chapter 1

AN: I had a lot of unexpected free time over the summer. I was basically on call the entire summer and most of the fall, which was a very new experience for me. I decided to pass the time by watching old shows I never got around to watching. Glee was one of these. I never finished season six, so I thought I would start there and found I was completely lost. So I moved back to season 5, and then to season 4. Then I just decided to watch the entire series again. So I did.

The mid-season break of season 3 had one of the best cliffhangers, in my opinion. Seeing Quinn getting hit by a car then fading to black. I actually remember waiting over those months, agonizing over her fate. Luckily, I didn't have to wait this time, but that did get me thinking. Quinn gets hit by a car and the next scene is her in a wheelchair coming up to Finn and Rachel who are discussing whether or not they would have gotten married if Quinn wasn't hit by the car. The producer's never actually show what happened between the two scenes, which leaves plenty of room for writers like me to put in our two cents. And there have been many amazing fics about that time. Someone gets the call about Quinn and they all rush to the hospital.

But I started thinking: What if they didn't get the call. That led to what would change if Quinn was missing from that point on, which led to what their reactions would be like in the future if they suddenly saw her again, which finally led to why they wouldn't get the call in the first place. I thought if her mom or her friends didn't get the call about her accident, then the only other person who would is her dad.

This started as a little character piece about Russel Fabray. In my version, he does what he thinks is best for his daughter by keeping her away from the people he thinks are corrupting her. I totally think he is abusive, but I don't think he thinks that. I wanted to get into the mind of people like that, see how they justify what they do in their minds. I think I did a good job, but then the story kinda got away from me. It does venture back to Russel's mindset at key times, but overall it became a coming of age story. I hope you like it.

This story is complete. I know I usually write more sci-fi fantasy, but the story wouldn't leave me alone. It is my largest one to date, coming in just shy of 350 pages. I'm not sure how I'm going to post it. I think my usual way of posting a chapter a day is out. I'm going to try to post three or four chapters a week or so. Maybe more, maybe less.

Also, I have no medical training whatsoever, nor do I have any experience with legal or police matters. I try to get everything as realistic as possible. I research what I can, make up what I can't, and paint over the whole thing with the brush of creative license. This does get very dark at the end. Nothing too graphic, cause I just don't write that kind of stuff. I'll warn again when that chapter comes. Also, this is the first time I've ever actively written ship. Again, nothing graphic, cause I still don't do that, but I hope I did the characters and their relationships justice. Enough of my ramblings.

Also a warning for foul language. Santana does have a potty mouth.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Glee and all the characters is owned by Fox and a bunch of people who are smarter than I am. I'm only borrowing the characters to play with, and promise to put them back in the box when I'm done.

* * *

Russel Fabray was a righteous man. He was brought up in a strict Catholic family, and he brought those beliefs with him when it was time to raise a family of his own. His wife, Judy, had her flaws, but since she mostly agreed to whatever he said, he was fine pretending they were happy. Together they had two children. Daughters. Francine and Lucy.

Francine was the oldest. She was a few years older than her younger sister, Lucy. He raised both girls under the strict doctrine of the Catholic Church. He was, perhaps, stricter than most other families he knew, but he understood a strong personal belief was a cornerstone for the religion he loved, and he would stop at nothing to give his children that belief. Frannie had already grown, married a good Christian man, and the two of them had already moved out and started their life together, raising a family of their own. Russel couldn't be prouder.

Lucy, on the other hand, was always more of a mystery to him. She was sweet and caring, until they moved to Lima. She started gymnastics which led to cheerleading, changed her clothes, dyed her hair, and asked to be called by her middle name, Quinn. She also asked for a nose job. Russel had agreed, seeing how happy it would make her. Especially since he could still see the sweet innocent child he raised underneath the new exterior.

She was the perfect daughter until she had gotten pregnant. Over the course of one dinner his whole life changed. It was as if he didn't even know his little girl anymore. She didn't even have the decency to tell her parents herself, instead letting her boyfriend, Finn Hudson, tell them through song. All she could do was confirm what they suspected. Russel hated to admit it, but he saw red. Without even thinking, he threw his own flesh and blood out of the house.

He gave her thirty minutes to pack some things and get out. Judy was entirely unhelpful as always, sobbing quietly while he paced back and forth in the foyer while Quinn packed. Russel thought about going to his wife, but knew he needed to wait until Quinn left the house. It was the only way for both of them to truly see what the sin would cost. When he heard steps on the staircase, he hardened his heart and looked away, missing the look of fear on his daughter's face. He continued to look away, even as he desperately wanted to pull her into a hug and tell her everything would be okay. But then he would be encouraging this type of behavior, and he couldn't do that. He had to stay strong for her, for his precious little angel. It was the hardest thing he had ever done, letting her walk out that door, but he did what needed to be done. As soon as the door closed behind her, he turned to his wife, surprised to find disappointment in her eyes. He tried to go to her, but she stormed away almost as soon as his daughter did.

Sighing heavily, he sat down on the couch, putting his elbows on his knees and cradling his head in his hands. He thought over the last few hours, convinced he had done the right thing. He always did the right thing in regard to his family. He was a successful lawyer, but turned down a big promotion in New York City to keep his family in a safe and stable environment, even if it was in the middle of nowhere. He was constantly checking up on his children, making sure to know everything about their lives, especially their friends. He knew where they were every minute of every day. How could something like this happen?

Growling in frustration, he stood and made his way to the liquor cabinet. He saw the door was open and Judy's favorite bottle of scotch was missing. That fact didn't stop him from pouring himself a very generous helping of whiskey though. He knew Judy had problems, her love of drink being one of them, but he knew that going into the marriage. People had flaws but God loved them anyway.

He took a generous swig from his glass, almost downing all the liquid. It burned its way down his throat but then he felt a warmth spread out through his body, dispelling the coldness that had settled when Quinn confirmed her shocking news. He grabbed the bottle to pour another drink then shrugged and instead took the bottle back to the couch with him. He took a swig, not bothering with the glass this time, and thought about what needed to happen when Quinn came home. New rules definitely needed to be established. She needed new friends too. Together they would go down to the church and seek advice from the priest. Surely, he had counseled other women in similar predicaments and would know the best way to atone for this sin. With a plan in mind, he sat down and waited for his baby to come home.

And waited.

And waited.

Around midnight he started nursing his whiskey again while he waited. He knew she didn't have anywhere else to go and would have to come back here. That was why he only gave her thirty minutes. By morning she still hadn't shown up. Judy came back, grabbing another bottle before retreating to whichever part of the house she spent the night in. Russel again tried to talk to her, but she was obviously drunk and glared at him the whole time. It was then that Russel started to think that maybe Judy's influence on Quinn was to blame. It was the first time he doubted his perfect family. Maybe letting someone as flawed as Judy near his innocent children was a mistake? He sighed as he thought again about his youngest daughter. She should have been home by now, pleading with him to help her redeem herself in the eyes of the Lord, fully understanding the weight of her sin by now, but she was still missing. He put the mostly full bottle of whiskey back as he slowly started getting ready for work.

During the day, he had an epiphany. Quinn had friends, and while he doubted she would shame the family by telling them about the pregnancy, he was certain she would be able to stay with them for a few nights. No wonder she didn't come home as soon as he expected. She would soon though, she couldn't spend more than a couple nights without them getting suspicious. Soon she would need to come back home and he would help her get back on track. Smiling, he pushed his mental calendar back two weeks as he focused on his job.

Two weeks became four, which soon became six. At eight weeks Russel needed to rethink his plan. He hadn't bothered looking for Quinn, knowing she would need to return home at some point, but he couldn't go looking for her now either. Too much time had passed. Even if nobody figured out why he was looking for his youngest daughter, the fact that it had been two months since he last saw her and was now only starting to look would be hard to explain. He tried going to Judy, trying to explain his actions to her so they could come up with a plan together, but when he arrived home she was already drunk. He looked curiously at the liquor cabinet. What was it that had such a hold on his imperfect wife? How could she continually drink herself into oblivion? Was that the only peace she could find? Hesitantly he grabbed the whiskey bottle and took a small sip.

That was the first time he over-indulged in his whiskey. And the first time he felt peace since the whole nightmare started. He didn't feel that peace when he woke up the next morning. While that was not his first time drinking the alcohol, he had never drunk himself into oblivion before, usually just having a small nightcap or two after work. That morning he swore he would never touch alcohol again, but fate had other ideas. He had his worst day ever at work, loosing cases that were a sure win, spilling coffee all over several important case files, and even being late for court when he tried to clean up after himself. By the end of the day he reached for the whiskey bottle almost reverently, wishing the liquid would take him away from his life for a moment. He got his wish, but he lost much more than a moment. Months passed when he suddenly woke up on the couch from a drunken haze. The same couch Judy passed out on more than once. He suddenly realized he had a problem. More problems than he realized.

He was surprised to find that almost seven months had passed since Quinn told them her news. Her due date must be approaching soon, and he still hadn't seen or heard from his daughter. He still thought she had nowhere to go and would be forced to return home, only now he wondered if it was going to be with a baby or not. Worse, word had gotten around the small town about the pregnant teen. Nobody confronted him directly, but he could feel the stares and whispers as he passed. His world was shattering and it was only going to get worse.

He returned home one night to find two suitcases packed with all his things. Judy was glaring at him from behind. "I saw you with that tattooed freak!" she accused heatedly. It took him a minute for a half-formed memory to come to him. He had run out of whiskey halfway through the night and went on a liquor run. At the store he met Lola, a tattoo artist who also ran out of tequila and was getting more. They hit it off immediately and left the store together, their precious cargo clutched firmly in their hands. Russel shook his head as his memory stopped there. He couldn't even be sure what happened after they left the store. All he knew is he woke up the next morning in his bed, alone. "Get out!" Judy screeched, pushing the suitcase toward him.

He didn't move until she pulled out his precious bottle of whiskey and threw it out the door. He dived after it, grimacing when he missed and it smashed on the concrete. He stared at the puddle longingly before hearing the door slam. He looked up to find Judy had pushed the suitcases out the door before slamming it. He tried his keys, but she had obviously changed the locks before he got home. Furious, he started punching the door. After a few minutes, he calmed down, gathered his belongings, and went to a hotel, stopping by the liquor store first.

He indulged in his self-pity for a few hours before examining what went wrong in his life. As he sipped his whiskey he had another epiphany. Judy. Her wickedness had obviously influenced the family more than he realized. How could he expect his innocent children to remain pure with that abomination tainting the entire family? Thankfully Fran escaped unharmed, but poor Quinn took the brunt of that unholy influence. No wonder she had gotten pregnant. Russel was just thankful that was the extent of her punishment. Without Judy's negative influence, Quinn would come to her senses. She would return to her father, just like she was supposed to, and together they would repent for her sins and become better Christians. He just needed to be patient, just for a little longer.

He also needed to prepare. First, he needed a place to that was free of his wife's influence. He needed to leave town, but still be close enough for Quinn to come home. Thankfully, the law office where he worked had branches in several town in Ohio. A quick chat with his boss and he got his transfer back to Fairbrook. A few weeks later he was all set up in a small house, perfect for reconnecting with his daughter and his faith. He was certain he was free of Judy's corruption and positive Quinn would show up at his doorstep any day. Instead he received divorce papers.

He frowned when the lawyer handed him the papers, but he realistically knew this was coming. While he was strongly in support of marriage lasting until death as the church taught, he was slowly realizing his wife wasn't as committed to their faith as he thought she was. While he was fine staying in the marriage, even if they did live in different towns, she apparently wasn't. He took his whiskey bottle to the couch and read the papers.

The split seamed relatively straight forward. They both came from wealthy families so money wasn't an issue. The only thing she truly wanted was the house in Lima. He had no problem with that. He spent most his time at the office or in court, while she was the one to befriend the neighbors and represent the family socially. She did offer him an opportunity to return and claim the remainder of his things, if he wanted.

He debated challenging her before he realized he would be doing it out of spite and that wasn't the Christian way. He checked the alimony amount she requested once again. It was a measly sum, one he could easily afford, and would cover little more than the upkeep on the house. He was about to sign when one more amount caught his eye.

Child support. She was asking for child support. He was momentarily confused. Francine was gone, grown with a family of her own, and Quinn would be returning to him once it was safe to do so. Why would she need child support? He frowned, neatly folding the documents and putting them safely to the side before grabbing his phone. A few calls later and he was stunned.

Quinn had returned home. To her mother. To the same woman whose influence allowed her to become pregnant in the first place. He felt betrayal stab his heart. He still loved his daughter. He paid for her medical bills, even though he was deeply ashamed of her pregnancy. He was waiting for her to come home, so they could be a family again. Why would she do this? He fell to his knees, cradling his whiskey, pleading with God to help him understand. It was then that he had his third epiphany. Judy had tainted him as well.

He looked between the empty glass in his hand and the nearly empty bottle on the coffee table. He had never drunk this much, until he met Judy. It was just one of the ways she was tainting him and he suddenly understood why Quinn had not returned to him. He was unworthy. He needed to reaffirm his commitment to God. Once he had again proven his worth Quinn would come back, and he would help save her as well.

With a new plan in mind he began devoting his life to his church, as he had been brought up to do. Giving up the drink was harder than he thought it would be. He found he could manage as long as he didn't over indulge, getting back to the occasional nightcap after work or with colleagues. He felt peace for the first time since his daughter gave him the shocking news, and knew that God would forgive him. He signed the papers and sent them back to Judy and began preparing for Quinn's arrival. Once he had proven his worth to God, his daughter would be sent back to him. He needed to be ready.

Then one day it finally happened.


	2. Chapter 2

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"We have to go Rachel," Finn urged as his fiancé restlessly paced back and forth.

"They said we had five minutes," she objected, glancing again at the group of girls sitting on the couches behind her.

"That was twenty minutes ago," Finn sighed. "I convinced them to let the next couple go ahead of us, but if we're not ready when they're finished we'll have to reschedule. The Justice can't stay much longer." Rachel bit her lip and turned to the girls behind her.

"Face it midget," Santana said in her no nonsense tone. "Quinn's not coming."

"But she said she would," Rachel pouted. Santana sighed loudly.

"She also said it was a mistake. She's been saying that ever since Finnocence proposed. I'm not sure what kind of heart to heart talk you think you two had, but it apparently meant a lot more to you than it did to her."

"But she promised to be here," Rachel said softly, looking at her phone again. She quickly sent another text to Quinn, followed by calling her. It went to voicemail. She looked over at the Latina sadly. "Can you try calling her?" Santana rolled her eyes.

"We've been trying," Brittany said quietly. "She's not responding to any of our calls."

"So either you pissed her off enough that she's mad at all of us," Santana started again, glaring at the bride, "or she's deliberately not coming."

"But she promised," Rachel whispered again, close to tears.

"Oh honey," Kurt came over and wrapped his arms around her. "I know it hurts, but you have to admit this is something she would do. What better way to stop a wedding she doesn't agree with then simply not showing up?"

"But she's changed," Rachel cried, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Has she?" he challenged quietly. She thought for a moment before pulling back to stare at him. "Face it. Two years ago, even last year, you would have expected this from her. Has she really changed that much?"

"He's right," Finn spoke up. "Quinn can be vindictive, especially if she thinks she's right and you're wrong. I can totally see her promising to come and pulling out, just to mess with us." He pulled her into his arms, rocking her gently. "On Monday we'll talk with her, figure out what game she's playing. But today, right now, this is our day. I want to marry you. Don't let her ruin our day." Rachel thought about what he said for a minute before nodding. "Yeah? Are you sure?"

"This is our day," she nodded enthusiastically. "It shouldn't be about Quinn. I'm sure she will have a perfectly reasonable and logical explanation when we next see her. Let's get married."

"Okay," he said quietly, giving her a quick kiss before leading the guys back out of the room. The girls stayed behind for a few minutes, fixing their makeup.

"Santana," Rachel said when the Latina kept glancing at the door. "I understand if you want to leave as well."

"Hell no," she immediately countered. "I'm just pissed at my homegirl. If I have to be in this hideous bridesmaid dress so does she. I'm so gonna go all Lima Heights on her ass next time I see her." Brittany smiled, giving her girlfriend a deep kiss before they all filed out of the room.

The ceremony went off without a hitch, besides being a few hours later than they were expecting. The friends gathered together for the wedding reception, which was being hosted by the Berry's. They forgot about Quinn as they celebrated, forgot about her as the weekend wore on. It wasn't until Monday that they first got an inkling something wasn't right. She wasn't in any of her classes and missed Glee. Santana growled and headed to her home as soon as practice was over. She was furious with her friend and angling for a fight, but the anger drained out of her when Judy opened the door.

"Is Quinn with you?" Judy asked as soon as she saw the Latina. She looked exhausted, her eyes red from crying with tear tracks still visible on her cheeks. Santana's anger changed to ice in less than a second. She numbly shook her head, then held her friend's mother when she started crying again, almost falling down on the doorstep.

"You haven't seen her?" Santana asked as she guided the older woman to the couch.

"Not since the wedding," Judy told her between sobs. "She forgot her bridesmaid dress and rushed back to get it when I got home. I barely had time to tell her to drive safe before she was out the door again."

"She never made it to the wedding," Santana whispered, truly frightened for the first time.

"Oh God," Judy broke down again as Santana pulled out her phone. She sent a group message to everyone in Glee club, asking if anyone has seen the blonde. Then she sent another one to the Cheerios, and finally a third to the jocks. She was receiving responses immediately, but none of them were positive. "What do I do?" Judy asked desperately.

"Call the police," Santana told her. "Nobody has seen Quinn since Friday. It's time to bring in the big guns." Judy nodded and a twenty minutes later the house was swarming with police.

"You haven't seen her since Friday?" The detective in charge, Norman Franks, asked as he took notes. Judy had calmed down enough to answer his questions. "Is anything missing? Any sign that she ran away?" Judy shook her head.

"Her car's gone, but she was going to a wedding. Her purse and phone are missing, but she would have needed them with her. None of her clothes are missing and nothing is missing from the house."

"Does she have a history of running away?" He asked. Judy again shook her head.

"Her father kicked her out of the house a couple of years ago," Judy explained. "Since she returned she has never taken this home for granted."

"Where did she stay?" Franks asked.

"With her friends." Judy pointed to the small group of kids that were sitting in the living room. Santana had been joined by Brittany, Rachel, Finn, Kurt, Blaine, Puck, and Mercedes. "But they haven't seen her either." He nodded, making a few more notes in his notebook when an officer approached him. They spoke for a few minutes before the detective nodded and turned back to Judy.

"There's no sign of any forced entry or a struggle. That's good news. As you said nothing significant is missing. It doesn't look like your daughter left with the intent of running away. I've checked with local hospitals and morgues and there has been no report of anyone matching your daughter's description being admitted any time since Friday. I've put a BOLO out on your daughter and her car. Hopefully someone will spot them and report in."

"So, there's nothing you can do?" He sighed.

"I'm afraid there is still one possibility that has me concerned," Franks admitted, "other than this being a random abduction."

"What?" He sighed again.

"It's possible your daughter was kidnapped for ransom." Judy let out a strangled sob and collapsed into the kitchen chair. "Your ex-husband is very powerful. Both you and your ex-husband come from very wealthy families."

"What do I do?" she asked frantically. "I'll pay whatever it takes to get my baby back."

"We're not there yet," he put a reassuring hand on her arm. "First I'd like your permission to put monitoring equipment on your phone and computer. That way we'll be ready when the ransom demand comes."

"Of course," Judy agreed. "Do whatever you need to do. You can use the study." He nodded and followed her out of the room, leaving a group of stunned teenagers.

"Ransom?" Santana asked, her face paling from the conversation they accidentally overheard. "This shit ain't happening."

It was surreal to go to school the next morning. News of Quinn's disappearance spread like wildfire. Nobody knew the whole story so, of course, several people made up their own versions. The only students who knew anything about it were unusually subdued. They only discussed it in Glee club with the other members. Mr. Schue made it the lesson of the week to help them all try and understand. But in the end, there was nothing they could do but wait.

* * *

Russel looked up as the phone started ringing. He had just finished his largest case yet and was looking over the pending files to find something else to focus on. Frowning, he put the files down and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello. I am looking for Russel Fabray." He frowned. The voice didn't seem familiar at all.

"This is he."

"This is the reception desk at Columbus Mercy Hospital. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but a Lucy Quinn Fabray was just transported via Life Flight to our hospital. You are listed as her emergency contact."

"What?" His mind suddenly went blank and he couldn't think.

"Your daughter was in a serious car accident," the kindly woman said again, talking slowly and in a gentle voice. "Her injuries were too severe for the local hospitals to treat, so she was airlifted to our facility. The doctors are working to save her life right now, but I would urge you to come as quickly as possible."

"Is it bad?" He asked as he grabbed his keys and threw on a coat. He didn't give her time to answer before he was in his car. "I'm on my way, but it will take me a few hours to get there. Tell the doctor to do whatever it takes to save my baby girl." He hung up the phone before he could hear her response.

It was a three hour drive to Columbus. He spent the time going over the situation in his mind. Obviously, God had forgiven him and sent his daughter back, but he was testing him at the same time. He needed to keep his precious child away from the evil influences of his wife. He needed to pass God's test and prove his worth before he could start healing his family. He would keep Quinn safe and finally they would be the perfect family again.

A peace settled over him as he reached the hospital. He calmly parked the car and walked into the lobby. "I'm here for Lucy Quinn Fabray," he told the receptionist. Her eyes got sad at the name, but she picked up the receiver and had a short conversation.

"Dr. Smith will be with you momentarily," she told him. "Feel free to wait in the waiting room." He nodded and took a seat in the large, mostly empty room. A few minutes later he stood when an older man walked toward him.

"Mr. Fabray?" he questioned even as he reached out his hand. Russel nodded, grasping the offered hand firmly. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Perhaps we can go to my office and speak."

"Of course," he said, following the doctor out of the room. "But please tell me, how is my daughter?"

"She's still holding on," he said cryptically. "She's critical but she has been stable for the last couple of hours. Unfortunately, she's nowhere near out of the woods yet." He opened the door and motioned to the chair while he went around the desk. "Your daughter was in a serious accident. According to the reports, she ran a stop sign. The oncoming driver tried to stop but was unsuccessful. He T-boned her car at extremely high velocity. The driver's side took the majority of the impact. Thankfully she was wearing her seatbelt or else we would be having a very different conversation.

"As it was she was trapped in the car for over thirty minutes before they were able to extract her. Normally, being trapped after a wreck is simply a very traumatic and painful experience, but your daughter received significant blunt force trauma to her head, neck, and back. Any time those areas of the body are damaged, any delay in treatment can be costly. The longer the wait the more likely to have permanent damage or even death."

"What are you trying to say?" Russel interrupted.

"Right now, your daughter is in a coma," he said quietly. "And there's a strong possibility for some form of brain damage or paralysis." He let that sink in for a moment before continuing. "She was admitted with severe compression of both her brain and spinal column. Her left lung collapsed and she had several pieces of shrapnel throughout her left side, including her heart, liver, stomach, and intestines. She also has several broken bones on her left side, from her knee up to her shoulder. She couldn't breath and had already crashed twice on the trip over here.

"We took her into surgery immediately. We were able to relive the pressure on her brain and spinal column, re-inflate her lung, and remove and repair most of the damage from the shrapnel, but she coded two more times during the procedure. After the surgery, she slipped into a coma."

"What are her chances?" Russel asked, voice thick with unshed tears. "Will she be okay?" The doctor looked down at his desk before looking him in the eye.

"In my professional opinion, her chances of surviving are very low," he admitted quietly. "If there's anyone you need to call. Anyone who will need to say goodbye."

"No," he shook his head fiercely. "It's just the two of us." He nodded.

"We have counselors on staff if you feel the need," he offered. Russel shook his head.

"I just need to see my daughter."

"Of course," Dr. Smith agreed, rising to his feet and heading to the door. "I should warn you. She has several machines attached to her. They are the only thing keeping her alive right now so please don't touch them. I know they look intimidating, but they are there to help." Russel nodded, but stopped in his tracks as soon as he crossed the door and got the first look at his daughter in over two years. Dr. Smith expected this reaction and gently led him toward the bed. He explained all the machines, made sure Russel knew how to get the nurses attention, and briefly explained the procedures in the ICU ward. Once Russel appeared to calm down he took his leave.

"Doctor?" The doctor turned back toward the grieving father just as he reached the door.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for everything you're doing for her," he started. Dr. Smith simply nodded. "But I want you, your staff, this entire hospital to know one thing. Money isn't an issue here. You have my permission to do whatever it takes to keep my little girl alive, even if I'm not here at the time to okay it. Do you understand?" Dr. Smith nodded solemnly as he turned to leave the room, leaving the family alone. Russel spent the next five days at his daughter's bedside, praying for a miracle. Praying that he was worthy to keep her in his life.


	3. Chapter 3

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"You know you have an elliptical in you room, right?" Santana groused as she slowly put her running shoes on. "I understand wanting to look good for your boy toy, but who in the hell goes running so fucking early the sun hasn't even come up?"

"I am perfectly capable of going jogging by myself Satan," Rachel chirped, looking well rested and relaxed as she started stretching her muscles. "And, while I would normally conduct my usual morning exercise routine on the elliptical, Finn was working late again last night and I don't want to disturb him."

"No, we wouldn't want to disturb Frankenteen," Santana grumbled. Rachel glared at her.

"We are not teenagers anymore so please don't call him that."

"Okay," she shrugged. "I'll leave Finnocence alone for now."

"Santana," she huffed as she grabbed some waters and followed her friend out the door.

"Fine. I'll behave," she said as she started stretching her muscles. Soon they were ready and they started a steady pace toward Central Park. "Speaking of leaving Jolly Green alone, I've been noticing you've been keeping your distance lately." She peaked a look at the Diva, who blushed.

"We're just in a rut," she told her friend. "I've been so busy with the show these last few months and he's getting frustrated at work. He's only been there three years and is still low man on the totem pole so he keeps getting the crappy assignments."

"Like the overnight shift for the last month?" Santana asked. Rachel nodded.

"He keeps trying to get on at a regular mechanic shop, but until he's made more of a name for himself he's stuck."

"At least he's working," Santana remarked. "A steady paycheck for the last three years. That's more than any of us have achieved." Rachel nodded. After High School, Kurt and Rachel had come to New York City as planned, with Finn trudging behind like the dutiful husband. The two Diva's immediately felt at home in the big city, falling into NYADA with ease, while Finn was struggling to find himself. Both Rachel and Kurt were completely comfortable in the Big City when Santana unexpectedly showed up on their doorstep. She also felt at home and quickly adapted to the city life, but Finn still felt like an outsider. By the time Blaine and Brittany followed their significant others to New York, Finn was ready to leave. He didn't get into college and had a series of odd jobs until a taxi company offered him a job as a mechanic. He liked the job, but was slowly getting frustrated as they kept giving him the crap jobs no one else wanted. But he loved Rachel and Rachel loved it here so he would pretend. Santana glanced at the Diva out of the corner of her eye. "But sometimes when you guys are together, it seems like you're not together." Rachel sighed.

"I sometimes think that Quinn was right," she admitted, slowing down to a walk so they could talk easily. "It wasn't so bad at first. Everybody was so busy with school and looking for jobs that it seemed like High School remixed. But as everything started coming together it feels like it's all falling apart. I mean, I started getting starring roles off Broadway and what did he get? A minimum wage job at Yellow Cab. And now that I finally got my starring role on Broadway, he's still the bottom of the barrel at Yellow Cab. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of him, it just feels like the more my dreams are coming true the more he's pulling away from me."

"I guess it doesn't help that all of our dreams are coming true too," she said, referring to her and Brittany and Kurt and Blaine. "Kurt and Blaine just signed for a place of their own. Blaine is getting some roles Off Broadway and Kurt is taking the fashion world by storm. Brittany got a permanent position with the dance company and was just offered a spot on tour."

"And you," she added. "You're doing backup vocals for the recording company. Soon you and Brittany will get your own place and it will be just us." She sighed. "He just needs to feel useful, like he's helping to provide for me instead of the other way around. And while I personally don't have a problem supporting him, he is old fashioned in his thinking that the man of the house provides for the family and he is having trouble doing that right now."

"Have you tried talking to him?" she asked as they approached the park. Rachel nodded her head.

"He says he understands, and doesn't begrudge me my fame, but I can tell it's bothering him. And there's nothing I can do to help him." She sighed. "Maybe Quinn was right. Maybe we were too young to get married. Maybe we needed time to figure out who we really were before taking that step."

"Maybe," Santana offered, before getting a wicked gleam in her eye. "Okay shrimp. You brought me out here at the crack of dawn. Let's see what you can do. Loser buys coffee." With that she took off down the jogging path, Rachel following quickly behind her. They had a good run, but at the end of the six miles Rachel was victorious. Santana grumbled as they walked back to the vendors, letting their bodies cool down from the rigorous exercise.

"Double shot soy latte please." Rachel put in her order and sat down, watching in amusement as Santana grumbled all the way to the coffee vendor. The sun was rising, bathing Central Park in an orange glow, which meant everyone was getting coffee right now. Knowing it would take the Latina a few minutes, she sat down on the bench and watched people go about their day. She was casually people watching when a familiar face caught her eye. "Quinn?" She asked breathlessly, automatically standing and almost running into Santana.

"What the hell Berry?" she shrieked. "Did you want to drink your coffee or wear it?"

"I thought I saw Quinn," Rachel responded, her eyes darting back to where she thought she saw her friend.

"What?" Santana asked, coffee forgotten as she joined the search. A few minutes later she turned to Rachel. "She's not here."

"I'm sure it was her," she insisted, still searching for the familiar blonde head. Santana sighed.

"You just though you saw her," she said, passing over one of the cups. "It's cause we've been talking about her a lot this morning."

"We've mentioned her name twice. That is not a lot."

"For us it is," she countered. "Look I get it. I miss her too. And I know she hurt us all when she left without a word, but that doesn't mean I still don't hope to see her every day, just so I can kick her ass. But that doesn't mean I do see her. Even if I think I do." Rachel sighed, knowing she was right.

"Do you?" she asked as they slowly left the park.

"Do I what?"

"Think you see her sometimes?" Rachel watched her friend carefully. Santana took a sip of her coffee before nodding.

"I'll just be walking down the street and think I see her out of the corner of my eye," she admitted, "but whenever I look again she's gone. Once I was so sure I had her, I followed her for several blocks. Turns out it was a frat boy in drag on an initiation prank. After that I just gave up looking." Rachel smiled.

"I know what you mean. I see her everywhere too." Santana gave her a friendly hug as they arrived back at the apartment the three couples shared.

"Now you need to stay focused midget. Your Broadway debut is less than a week away. You can't afford any distractions."

"Right," she agreed as they entered the apartment. Kurt waved as he made breakfast while Brittany was having a lively conversation with Blaine about Lord Tubbington's latest antics. Rachel smiled at the group before escaping to her bathroom for a quick shower before she had to go to the theater. But as the water cascaded around her she frowned. She couldn't afford distractions, but she also couldn't avoid them. Because she was sure she had seen her friend's face. Surer than she had ever been.

* * *

"You know this isn't why they give stars the days off before opening night, don't you?" Kurt asked as he sipped his coffee, staring at the people walking around Central Park. "They want you to clear your mind for the big show, not fill it with craziness." Rachel ignored him, continuing to turn around in a never-ending search of the area.

"I know I saw her," she replied distractedly. Kurt sighed, sharing a long look with Santana.

"I know," she shrugged, watching as Brittany fed the ducks. Rachel wanted to come back every day since she thought she saw Quinn, but between her rehearsing and everyone's busy schedule, this was the first chance she had. She could have gone by herself, but she was so shaken by her brief encounter she needed her friends by her side. Santana reluctantly agreed since it gave Brittany time to spend in the park, something that she loved doing but hadn't been able to get around to for a few weeks.

"San," Brittany bounded up to them, "you promised to feed the ducks with me." She shared a quick look with Kurt. He nodded, indicating he would watch the Diva. She returned his nod before letting herself be pulled away by the enthusiastic blonde. Kurt sighed, watching his high maintenance friend intently.

"You know this isn't healthy," he tried again. They had all taken Quinn's disappearance hard, but Rachel was especially hurt by it. Nobody knew exactly why the Diva took it so hard. She and Quinn were not exactly friends, even though they were slowly growing closer. "You're just opening up old wounds," he tried again, "almost as if you're trying to hurt yourself intentionally." That finally got a reaction.

"Don't be silly," she admonished him. "I love my life. I wouldn't change anything about my life."

"Yet you continue to torture yourself with the Quinn issue," Kurt challenged. She sighed and stopped circling, instead coming to stand beside him.

"I can't help it," she admitted. "Ever since she disappeared there's been this hole in my life. I mean, I love all of my fellow Glee Club members, and I would do anything for any of them."

"As evident by our apartment being overrun for the weekend," Kurt interrupted, but she merely continued.

"But she left so abruptly. It's an unresolved issue and I don't know how to deal with it. And I can't fix it until I find her."

"Even if you don't like what you find?" he asked quietly.

"Even then," she said just as softly. "If I find her and she says she hates me and never wants to see me again I'll respect her wishes. If she says the years of our friendship were completely one-sided and a mistake I will understand. If she says she simply needed space, I'll give it to her. I can accept anything she'll tell me. It's just the not knowing that's tearing me apart."

"I completely understand," Kurt admitted, "but you have to be prepared for the possibility that you just thought you saw her and it's not really Quinn." She shook her head.

"I know it was…" she trailed off as a scene caught her eye. Her eyes widened. "Quinn!" she shouted as she darted past.

"Rachel! Wait!" he instructed, cursing as he spilled his coffee in his haste to follow. "Shit. Satan!" Santana looked up at his cry, her eyes immediately following the brunette. A second later she and Brittany were closing in on her.

"Quinn! Wait!" Rachel continued to scream as she darted passed park goers in her attempt to reach the girl. Suddenly a fence blocked her way. "What?"

"It's the dog park," Brittany answered quickly. "Sometimes I'll come over and play with the puppies. The entrance is this way." The blonde quickly led the group around the fenced area, Rachel and Santana nearly running backwards to keep Quinn in sight.

"Quinn!" Rachel stopped when the girl looked directly at her, forcing the rest to stop as well. Suddenly Quinn turned her head away. "Quinn! Wait!"

"Oh shit!" Santana exclaimed before clamping a hand over Rachel's mouth. She quickly dragged the Diva a few steps away to where they could continue watching but blended in with the crowd. A group of tourists passed in front of them and by the time they passed Quinn was gone.

"Satan! What the fuck! She was right there!" Rachel turned her fury onto the Latina, but instead of reciprocating, Santana was trembling.

"That was Russel," she said, as if that made everything make sense.

"Oh no," Brittany said, her eyes growing wide and her pale skin turning even whiter. She turned to Santana. "Is it bad?"

"It's bad," the darker girl answered. "We need to call Judy."

"Why?" Kurt asked, slightly shaken.

"She'll be here for the opening anyway," Rachel pointed out but Santana shook her head.

"That's too long to wait," Santana countered. She was already pulling out her phone, taking a few steps away for some semblance of privacy.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you," Kurt said after he calmed down. Rachel had pulled out her phone and held it out to him.

"It is her, right?" she asked desperately, flipping through the few photos she had managed to take before Santana pulled her away. Kurt glanced down and nodded before turning to the blonde.

"Who was that man with her?" Brittany looked uncomfortable and it was no surprise when Santana rejoined the group and answered for her.

"That was Russel Fabray, her father."

"But the police questioned her father," Rachel said uncertainly before turning to the Latina. "Wait. Why is this bad?"

"Let's just say that getting kicked out of her house when she was pregnant was the best thing Russel ever did for her," Santana said as she led them back to the apartment. "She never confirmed it, but I'm pretty sure her father was beating her. Modesty is not something Coach Sylvester gave a shit about. She gave you five minutes to shower and change and not a single second more. I saw bruises more than once. Q tried to pass them off as falls, but that bitch didn't fall. After she was kicked out the bruises started to disappear."

"He was physically abusing her?" Rachel asked, her voice going higher at the thought. "Why didn't she say anything? Why didn't anyone notice?"

"She was too busy trying to maintain her HBIC image. That's why she never even confirmed it to Brits and me. Once she was away from him it seemed like a moot point."

"And now she's back with him," Kurt said, paling again.

"Do you think he had her this whole time?" Brittany asked, concern clear to hear in her voice.

"God, I hope not," Santana said as they arrived back at the apartment. "Who knows what that bastard has been doing to her these past years."

"Who's doing what to who?" Finn asked as he heard the last part of the conversation. Rachel threw herself into his arms, finally letting the tears fall, leaving the others to explain.

"We saw Q. Her bastard of a father has her."

"What?" Finn asked. Rachel pulled out her phone and handed it to him. He flipped through the pictures, tensing when he saw the ones she had just taken.

"Finn? What is it?" Rachel pulled back from her husband far enough to look into his eyes.

"I just hope it's not true," he said, giving her back her phone. "I didn't want her to be found like this."

"Did you know she was being abused?" Rachel asked.

"I suspected," he admitted, "but she never said she was. But I was at that house more than anyone, even Satan and Brit. She was so carefree until he'd get home. It was like she was a different person. And whenever we were with her parents she would get this pained look whenever I did or said something stupid. At the time, I thought she was just embarrassed by me, but thinking about it now I think I might have pissed her dad off and she took the punishment. The days after were always awkward."

"And you never said anything?" Santana glared.

"You didn't either," Finn countered harshly. Santana grimaced, but backed down. Finn looked back at Rachel. "I'm sorry I never said anything. I never wanted her to get hurt. I was young, and stupid, and selfish. Then she hurt me so bad. But I promise I never saw her father lay a hand on her or I would have told someone."

"I believe you," Rachel said softly, putting her head on his chest and letting him hold her tight. "But what do we do now?"

"Judy's on her way here tonight," Santana spoke up. "That detective is coming too."

"Does he have jurisdiction here?" Kurt thought out loud.

"According to Judy he does," Santana answered. "Quinn's case is still an open missing persons case. He can go anywhere and investigate." A thick silence descended over the group.

"There's nothing we can do but wait," Brittany broke the silence.

"I promised to go meet Blaine after his class," Kurt said, reaching for his coat.

"And I have to go to work," Santana said.

"Me too," Finn admitted, looking at his watch regretfully.

"So soon?" Rachel asked, pulling out of his embrace. He smiled sadly.

"I have to work a double shift the next couple of nights to get the night of your Broadway debut off."

"I'm sorry," she said, squeezing him tighter. He shrugged.

"It's okay. You're worth it." He held her for another minute before reluctantly pulling away. As he left to get ready Brittany came over.

"I was gonna go with San then go watch the sunset with the penguins, but I can stay here instead," she offered with her childlike innocence. Rachel smiled at her.

"No, you two should go. You guys haven't had a date for a couple of weeks." Brittany frowned.

"But we have lady kisses and sex every night."

"And now there's something more for me to think about," Rachel tried to joke, but Brittany just looked confused. Rachel sighed. "Thanks, but I think I need some time alone. You and San should do your date. I'll just wait for Judy."

"If you're sure." Rachel nodded her head. Brittany jumped over and gave her a quick peck to the cheek before following her girlfriend out of the room.

"Call if you need us," Santana said. She was dressed in her work uniform. She and Brittany would catch a quick dinner before her shift started. "And I do mean anytime shrimp. I can do without that place for a night."

"I promise to call if I need you." Santana nodded before linking arms with Brittany. They made their way out of the apartment as Finn emerged from their room.

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" he asked once more as he grabbed his water jug from the fridge. Rachel nodded. "Just remember, if you need me."

"I'll call," Rachel finished for him, before giving her husband a long kiss. "Have a good day."

"Thanks," he said as he too left the apartment. Rachel looked around the suddenly quiet space before grabbing a water and her phone. She sat on the couch, flipping through the pictures she took earlier that day as she slowly sipped her water and waited for Judy to arrive. She thought briefly back to the unlikely relationship she had developed with Judy Fabray.

It started unexpectedly. A few months after Quinn's disappearance, when it was obviously not a kidnapping for ransom, Rachel was surprised to get a call from Judy. Judy missed her daughter terribly, of course, and was desperately trying to find ways to fill the void left by her disappearance. She talked to Frannie more. Quinn's sister even visited her mother more often since Quinn's disappearance, but the older daughter had a family of her own and couldn't drop everything simply to spend time with her mother.

Then, unexpectedly, Judy reached out to Rachel. She knew Shelby was Rachel's birth mother, and knew Shelby had also adopted Beth, and she hoped to finally meet her granddaughter. She hoped Rachel would have some way to get in touch with Shelby. Rachel had debated with herself for over two weeks before deciding to pass along Judy's request and leave it up to Shelby to make the final decision.

That small act had led to one of the biggest changes in her life. After hearing about Quinn's disappearance, and listening to Judy's reasoning behind contacting her, the two women agreed to a trial run. Shelby's own parents were deceased, so Judy officially became the toddler's grandparent. She was constantly bringing the toddler over to Judy's so she could focus on moving back to New York. There was also an unexpected bonus. As more of her time was freed up, Shelby began working on her relationship with Rachel again. They learned from their past mistakes and didn't try to form a mother-daughter relationship, but they figured they would start as friends and see where it went.

As it turned out, Rachel and Shelby made good friends. Shelby was spending more and more time with the Diva, which meant Beth was spending time there, which meant Judy soon started spending time there, which ultimately meant the three ladies soon formed a solid friendship. Solid enough that Rachel was comfortable enough to regard the two women as mother figures. Often, she would go to either one of them for advice that a daughter just wasn't comfortable asking her father.

A persistent knocking disrupted her musing. She checked the peephole, opening the door when she saw the woman she was just thinking about standing on the other side. "Did you really see her?" Judy asked as she pulled Rachel into a hug. Rachel could only nod, handing the older woman her phone. The pictures she had taken were still on the screen since Rachel had been flicking through them all night long. Judy slowly looked at every one before turning to the detective who accompanied her. "That's my baby," she told him, handing over the phone with Rachel's okay nod.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Rachel asked politely after she grabbed their bags and shut the door. Judy smiled softly, but declined, while the detective stared at the phone, flipping through the various pictures.

"She looks different," he said, after a minute. He had the original picture Judy had given him and was comparing the two. "Are you absolutely sure?" He placed the two side by side on the counter and looked at Judy. The original picture was Quinn's high school yearbook picture. The blonde was smiling confidently at the camera with her head held high. The image on the phone was slightly different. Blonde hair was replaced by brown. She was wearing big, dark sunglasses that covered most of her face so you couldn't see her eyes, and a long winter coat was hiding her figure. She was even sitting down so you couldn't judge her height.

"Positive," Judy said fiercely. "A mother knows her child." The detective sighed loudly, so Judy further explained. "The brown is more her natural shade of color. The clothes are more conservative than what she normally wears, as are the sunglasses."

"It was a pretty cold morning," Rachel piped in, "even though the sun was shining brightly."

"You said she was in a dog park?" Judy asked, turning to Rachel.

"According to Brittany, and she would know," she explained to them. "I wasn't really paying attention to where she was until there was a fence between us. I don't remember seeing any dogs, but I was focusing on her. Why?"

"Quinn's terrified of dogs. A dog attacked her when she was just a little girl, nearly ripped her arm off. Since then she doesn't go near a dog unless she absolutely has too." The detective was writing notes down in his book.

"And you're sure it was Russel Fabray with her?" he asked.

"According to Santana," Rachel replied. "I honestly don't know since I've never met the man." The detective nodded, rifling through his file and pulled out a picture of Russel, showing it to the Diva. Rachel immediately nodded. Quinn had changed in the before and after pictures, but it was as if time stood still for Russel.

"I thought you questioned him?" Judy challenged.

"I did," he replied. "As soon as everything was set up at your house I went to Fairbrook and spoke to him. I asked him if Quinn had contacted him and he said no. I asked him the last time he had spoken with his daughter and he told me it had been over two years. I asked if it would be okay to look around the house, and he agreed. There was no sign anyone other than Russel had ever been there."

"Are you saying they spontaneously reconnected after all this time? Quinn hates him."

"I'm saying at the time there was no indication he was in any way connected with her disappearance. I'll admit I thought he was hiding something, but there was never any solid proof that he had anything to do with Quinn's disappearance. I just attributed his reticence to his profession. Lawyers are trained to deal only with very specific questions and answer them as succinctly as possible."

"Are you saying he's going to get away with kidnapping her because you didn't ask the right question?" Rachel shrieked. Franks flinched.

"There's still no proof he kidnapped her," he pointed out quietly. "I might be able to get him on obstruction charges if we can prove he knowingly interfered with our investigation, but it will be tough to get anything to stick this far out unless we have iron clad proof."

"Will that get my baby back?" Judy asked desperately. The detective sighed.

"Quinn's an adult now. She can stay with whoever she wants. And unless we can prove he's forcing her to stay against her will, there's nothing we can do if she chooses to stay with him." He looked at Judy sympathetically. "At least you have closure. Many families don't get that."

"So what now?" Rachel asked.

"Since this is still an open missing person's case, I will be able to interview him again. Hopefully I'll be able to talk to her as well. I've talked with Detective Romero with the NYPD. She will be able to monitor the situation and step in if necessary. But there's not much we can do if this is Quinn's choice." Judy sobbed, the sound echoing in the empty apartment as she broke down. Rachel gathered her in her arms as they both sank to the floor. They both had tears running down their face. The detective quietly gathered up his notes and excused himself, leaving the two women alone with their grief.


	4. Chapter 4

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Here you go sweetheart," Russel said as he laid the plate of food in front of his daughter. She didn't react, instead she continued to stare right ahead. "Lucy?" he prompted, causing her to jump.

"Oh, I'm sorry daddy," she apologized. Russel frowned as he dished up his own plate, watching as Lucy shifted her plate around, dipping her fork in the mashed potatoes and nibbling on some broccoli before she was satisfied. Russel sighed, putting his own plate down a bit harder than usual, causing her to jump.

"Would you like to say grace?" he asked, reaching out and grabbing her hands.

"You can," she replied, bowing her head obediently. He nodded, and quickly prayed over their dinner.

"Are you okay?" he asked once they started eating. "You seem distracted. And don't think I don't notice that you're not actually eating your food."

"Sorry," she mumbled, taking a few quick bites before moving her food around her plate again. Russel sighed loudly.

"Is it that new tutor? Is he not working out?"

"Oh no," Lucy quickly countered. "Nathan is wonderful. He's so patient with me and doesn't get frustrated when I mess up or can't remember things."

"Then what's wrong?" he asked. She sighed.

"The other day when we took Tobey to the park before your meeting. Someone was shouting, trying to get someone's attention. I know they weren't talking to me, but there was just something so familiar about the voice. I haven't been able to get it out of my mind."

"The only voice that should be constantly on your mind is the voice of God," Russel admonished. Lucy bowed her head.

"Yes Sir," she acknowledged. Russel looked at her intently. She had been doing so good lately, finally acting like her sister and doing everything he wanted, but something had changed the last few days. He felt he was losing her again, and he couldn't let that happen.

"Finish your dinner Lucy," he told her sternly, "and afterwards I'll join you for Bible Study. And if you try hard, you might get a treat." She looked up, eyes wide and hopeful as she started eating her dinner with gusto.

* * *

The next few days were extremely chaotic for Rachel. She had her Broadway debut in a few days, which meant she had to play hostess to various friends and family that were coming in to see her. Normally she was a perfect hostess, but the situation with Quinn was distracting her. And, of course, she really did need to prepare for her show.

Detective Franks had gotten an interview with Russel Fabray the day after he arrived. With local police as backup, he confronted the man about his daughter. After much maneuvering, he finally admitted that Quinn had reconnected with him and was currently staying with him in New York. When the detective had asked why he didn't report the development, Russel quickly responded the reconciliation was quite recently and he just hadn't gotten around to reporting in. The interview was abruptly cut off when Franks asked to speak to Quinn. He flat out refused to let them see her unless they had a warrant. When he reluctantly admitted he didn't, Russel simply stood and walked out of the room.

"At least you know she's alive," he offered what little consolation he had to a distraught Judy. "I've passed on my concerns about abuse and kidnapping to the local police. They are going to keep an eye on the situation and let me know if anything develops."

"Thank you," Judy smiled at him gratefully. He returned the smile as he left the apartment to head back to Ohio. Judy, who was coming for Rachel's debut anyway, simply decided to stay a few extra days in New York. She had moved in with Shelby, who offered her use of the guest room for however long she wanted it when she learned what was happening.

And, as they say, the show must go on. Despite everything happening around her, Rachel's debut was a smashing success. For a few hours, she was able to forget herself and simply become the character she portrayed. Opening night was sold out and she received a standing ovation. Critics had nothing but praise for the young star and she was floating on cloud nine as her dreams were coming true. But there was always a part of her that worried about Quinn.

Once the hoopla surrounding opening night calmed down, she found herself at that dog park every possible moment she could get away. She wasn't the only one either. One of the others would usually accompany her. They had even ventured inside the fenced area to search for Quinn, something Brittany was very excited about. But so far their searches had been in vain. They were getting more and more downhearted. Rachel pulled out her phone constantly, flipping through the pictures she had taken to convince herself it really happened.

Then finally, two weeks after her first sighting, Rachel found her again. She was sitting at the same bench in the dog park. Rachel looked around for Russel, but when she didn't see him she approached the young woman. She hit the button to record on her phone, both as evidence to prove she wasn't going crazy and so they could examine the footage later for signs of abuse.

As she approached the girl, she imagined a thousand different scenarios playing out in her mind. Quinn throwing her arms around Rachel, begging to be saved. Quinn sobbing uncontrollably when she realized Rachel found her and she was safe. Even Quinn slapping Rachel then storming off in a huff. Nothing came close to reality.

"Hi," Rachel said awkwardly as she stood in front of her old friend, her phone clutched casually in her hand even as she tried to get the best shot she could. Quinn looked up at the voice.

"Hi," she replied hesitantly. There was an uncomfortable silence for several minutes until Rachel pointed at the bench Quinn sat on.

"Anyone sitting there?" she asked casually. Quinn looked down casually.

"Not really," she answered. "Feel free."

"Thanks," Rachel said, sitting down carefully. They studied each other casually. Just as the silence was getting uncomfortable again, a large German Sheppard wandered over to them. It casually put its head in Quinn's hands, dropping a ball soaked with saliva.

"Good boy Tobey," Quinn cooed to him, taking the ball in one hand and scratching behind his ears with the other. After a few minutes, she threw the ball away weakly. "Go fetch." The dog bounded off, once again leaving them alone.

"That's your dog?" Rachel asked, her eyes following the animal as it ran over to the ball. Tobey picked up the ball easily, but instead of returning he just laid down and started chewing.

"Yep," Quinn said proudly. "Where's yours?"

"Oh, I don't have a dog," Rachel told her.

"If you don't have a dog why are you here?" Quinn asked, a small frown on her face.

"I have an irrational fear of dogs," Rachel quickly said, putting her theatrical background to good use and saying the lie convincingly, "and I am trying to overcome it."

"Then you definitely came to the right place," Quinn smiled. "I can introduce you to Tobey. I know he looks fierce but he's really a giant teddy bear."

"But he's out murdering a tennis ball," Rachel stated. Quinn laughed.

"He'll come back," she reassured Rachel. Rachel nodded. "Tobey!" Quinn called. Sure enough, a second later the dog appeared, putting his head in Quinn's hands. "He likes to be scratched behind the ears," Quinn said, scratching the dog contentedly. "It's okay. He won't bite or anything."

"Okay," Rachel said, reaching out slowly. Tobey watched her approach carefully. She stopped just before reaching him, letting him sniff her hand for a second before touching the soft fur. "Nice to meet you Tobey," Rachel said as she started gently rubbing his ears and face.

"If you play fetch with him he will love you forever," Quinn said.

"Oh," Rachel said uncertainly. "But the ball's over there. I'll go get it."

"Don't be silly," Quinn laughed before turning back to the dog. "Tobey. Get the ball." The dog was gone in a flash and back a second later. He dropped the ball in Quinn's hands. She held it out to Rachel.

"Thanks," she said, taking the ball while at the same time trying to touch the slimy toy as little as possible. "Go fetch." She said, throwing the ball away as hard as she could. The dog bounded after it, retrieving in then laying down and chewing contentedly. "Umm. Shouldn't he be bringing it back?"

"He will eventually," Quinn told her, "or when he's called." She held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Lucy. Lucy Fabray."

"Rachel," she replied haltingly as she shook the proffered hand. "Rachel Berry." She was about to say more when someone called for Tobey from the front of the park. The dog grabbed the ball and bounded over happily.

"It looks like my time is almost over," Quinn said quietly. Rachel watched as a young man quickly leashed Tobey and led him over to a waiting car. He quickly had the dog in the back seat before turning and heading over to Quinn.

"Ready Luce?" he asked as he approached.

"Yeah." He came over and swooped her into his arms bridal style and carried her to the car. Rachel was dumbfounded for a moment before chasing after them. Whoever picked Quinn up was very efficient. They were already in the car and pulling out of the lot before Rachel caught up with them. She had enough presence of mind to get a good shot of the car and the license plate before they were completely out of sight. She sighed, stopped recording and immediately replayed the scene. And replayed. And replayed.

* * *

"Lucy," Russel warned as they sat reading the bible together. Lucy looked up, guiltily. "Aren't you supposed to be reading?"

"Yes Sir," she said quietly, head bowed in supplication.

"Have you finished the first chapter yet?" he questioned, already knowing the answer but hoping to shame his daughter into compliance.

"No Sir," she mumbled.

"Have you finished the first page?" he continued.

"No Sir." He sighed loudly, snapping his own bible closed with a loud crack. She jumped at the sound.

"God is disappointed in you," he told her, "as am I."

"I'm sorry daddy," she pleaded. "I'll do better."

"We've been reading for thirty minutes and you haven't even finished a page," he said sternly. "You can't do worse."

"I'm sorry. I've just been distracted." Russel knew that. She had picked at her food listlessly and had stared at the page she was supposed to be reading for twenty minutes before Russel called her out on it.

"Maybe taking Tobey out was too much for you," he said evenly. Her head shot up, eyes wide with fear.

"No, please. Please don't take him away." Russel sighed. He hated hurting his daughter, but he had to keep her on track. Over the last few days he feared she was slipping again.

"He's a distraction," he explained. "A distraction from God and God's work. Maybe it was wrong to get him."

"No, it's not him," she pleaded, taking a deep breath. "I met someone at the park today. That's why I'm distracted." She winced at his sharp intake.

"That's against the rules, Lucy," he admonished icily. "You don't talk to strangers. What if they were trying to hurt you? You don't know the way the world works like I do. People can be kind, but more often they are cruel and vicious."

"I know," she admitted, "but she didn't seem mean. She was trying to overcome her fear of dogs and me and Tobey helped. Isn't it the Christian thing to do? Help people overcome their problems?"

"Yes, it is," he admitted, "but you need to be more careful. Sometimes the need to protect the family must come first, even before my Christian teachings. You don't know if she was truly trying to overcome a fear or if she singled you out for a more nefarious reason. Remember, you are an easy target for people who want to hurt me. And now that I'm working more, I can't always be there to protect you."

"I know," she reluctantly agreed. "I'm sorry daddy. I'll do better."

"Do better," he agreed, "and with hard work God will forgive you." She smiled and he immediately felt more at ease. "But I still need to punish you for disobeying our rules. And since Tobey was the cause of your rebellion, I think he needs to be your punishment as well."

"Please don't send him away," Lucy begged, tears streaming down her eyes. Russel shook his head.

"I won't, but you can't have any contact with him for two weeks. No playing with him. No taking him to the dog park. No bringing him to up to your room."

"But it's my responsibility to take care of him," Lucy argued. "I feed him and brush him."

"I'll take over that responsibility for the next two weeks. I want you to think about how much you have to lose if you talk to the wrong person. You will lose not only Tobey, but me as well. And I can't stand to let that happen."

"Yes daddy," she said, head bowed once again.

"And for not finishing the assigned reading, I'm extending your bible study time to three hours for the next week."

"But my bath?" she protested. He shushed her.

"You'll have to do without," he said sternly. "Use this time to think about your studies. Nothing is more important than the Lord and his church."

"Yes Sir." she sighed in resignation, but picked up the bible and began reading once more. He watched carefully for a moment. A nagging sensation had started inside his head.

"Lucy?" He asked quietly when she turned the page. She looked up. "The girl at the park. Did you happen to get her name?"

"Rachel," she mumbled, returning her attention to the bible. "Rachel Berry." Worry shot through him at the name. He knew he heard that name before but couldn't remember where. And combined with the surprise visit from the detective from Lima earlier, he was on the verge of panicking. He calmly opened his laptop and googled her name as he thought about his encounter earlier.

He thought he had done a good job avoiding Judy since Quinn was reunited with him. He feared she would lead his daughter astray once again and vowed to free both of them from her vulgar ways as soon as possible. Which is why, once Quinn was stable enough to move, he brought them both to New York. The law firm that he worked at had an opening, and once he explained his special situation, they approved his transfer again. They even let him skate by for the first few months. Quinn was still in the hospital, although this time he was able to find a decent private hospital for his daughter, and he spent most of his time by her bedside, helping in whatever way he could. But as she grew stronger and stronger, his case load picked up. Now he was a Senior Partner and able to pick and choose his cases, though he worked more now than he ever did before. It was his way of thanking the firm and repaying his debts to them.

The detective waiting in the lobby for him was unexpected, but he managed to get through the interview without raising any flags, something he was pleased with. When he asked the detective how he had located her, he simply remarked that a stranger had recognized her from her missing posters and had contacted him. He believed the detective completely, and any thought of Judy orchestrating this chance meeting left him. Of course, he still had the detective checked out. He couldn't be too careful with his precious daughter. But now that worrying thought returned.

"Hmmm," he said as the computer showed the results. "Rachel Berry. An outstanding debut performance on Broadway last week. Amazing reviews from her Off Broadway performances." He didn't notice Lucy look up before returning to her book. "No wonder her name is familiar. She's the rising star on Broadway that my secretary can't stop talking about." He smiled, the worrying feeling completely gone now. His family was safe. Judy hadn't found them.

* * *

The two weeks passed agonizingly slow for Lucy. She still couldn't focus on her bible studies, which frustrated and annoyed her father. He was constantly nagging her to do better, taking away what little free time she had and forcing her to study all day long. He extended her bible study punishment another week. He had even canceled her tutoring for the week, telling her she needed to get back on track with her bible study before she could start her schoolwork again.

She tried her best, but she was just too distracted and uncomfortable. Worse, as the time passed more than her bible study was affected. Her appetite had dropped significantly. Not getting her evening bath was leaving her achy and tense, which meant she wasn't able to sleep very well. And when she did get to sleep, she had strange dreams. She could never remember what she dreamt, but they left her feeling confused and lonely all day long.

Her near constant isolation wasn't helping anything either. She had Nancy every morning and night, but their interactions had always been clinical and professional. Her father spent much of the night with her, studying the bible as was their tradition. And while she knew he loved her, he never offered her the kind of support she was desperately craving right now. Since she wasn't being tutored right now, Nathan had no excuse to come over, and Tobey, who loved her unconditionally, was trapped somewhere and she couldn't get to him.

"Lucy," her father called out from the other side of the study. He had already finished his bible study and was working on some paperwork from the firm.

"Yes Sir?" She asked hesitantly. "I've almost finished the chapter." She held out the page to show him, praying he didn't ask her any questions about the reading. She had read every word, but she couldn't remember what she read. She tried, but sometimes she just didn't understand and couldn't remember.

She knew it wasn't normal. Russel told her God was punishing for her thinking bad thoughts. He said that when she had earned God's forgiveness, he would take away her problems and she would be smart again. He said she used to be very smart, but she wasn't sure she believed him.

"I see that," Russel said, "but I also see that you're still struggling to understand. I think you need to focus on your faith for another week, to prove to God you're truly trying to be better." Lucy's face fell. Another week of this torture? She didn't think she could do that. "But," he continued, "I have an out of state conference I must attend. It will last five days. Can I trust you to be on your own for the next week?"

"All alone?" Lucy asked, shaking slightly in fear. She had never been completely alone for more than a few hours.

"Not all the time," he told her. "Nancy has agreed to spend the night here while I am gone in case you need anything. And I was thinking of asking Nathan to spend the days here, provided he only helps you study the bible."

"And Tobey?" She asked, slowly overcoming her fear and seeing the great possibility this gave her. Her father had never trusted her on her own before. Of course, Lucy understood his reasoning. How could he trust a screw-up like her completely?

"If you're a good girl I'll bring him back when I get back."

"I'll be good," she promised. He smiled at her.

"I know you will," he reassured her. "Now why don't you finish that chapter and go take a bath before getting ready for bed." She smiled wide and hugged him tightly.

The next day Nathan stood next to Lucy as they watched Russel Fabray drive away.

"You don't really want to study the bible, do you?" he asked once the car was out of sight.

"Not really," she admitted. She looked up, debating with herself. Nathan had always encouraged her to be more independent and he turned into a great listener and friend. He never belittled her or called her stupid. "There's actually one thing I really want to do that daddy would never agree to."

"What is it?" he asked. "I might be able to help. And I promise I will not tell your father." She smiled before she started telling him her dreams.


	5. Chapter 5

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Judy cried as she watched the video. She wasn't the only one. It was a few weeks later and Rachel still couldn't stop crying, realizing she was so close to Quinn only to have her slip through her fingers. Everybody was starting to feel a mixture of hopefulness and helplessness.

Once it became clear Quinn was in New York, Judy had immediately started looking for her own place in the city. She was still staying with Shelby while she looked, and everybody was helping in whatever way they could. Even Frannie, who she had called as soon as she had seen the pictures of Quinn in the dog park, supported her. Her oldest daughter had finally found time to come visit her mother, and was staring at the phone with tears in her eyes. The short video had actually ended a few minutes ago, but neither woman was in a hurry to move the phone away.

"He lied," Fran said in shock. "He lied right to our face. He lied to me."

"I know Frannie," Judy said, resting her arm around her oldest for a comforting hug. They had each gone to Russel separately after Quinn's disappearance. While Judy was certain he had no qualms lying to her face, they both hoped he wouldn't lie to his oldest daughter, even though their relationship had become less friendly after Frannie moved out.

"Didn't the police talk to him?" she asked. "I understand him lying to us, but he's a lawyer. He doesn't lie to cops. Not even to talk his way out of a ticket."

"They did," Judy confirmed, "but when they talked to him they didn't know what type of case this was. They asked if Quinn had contacted him…"

"Which wasn't technically true," Fran finished. "So, he didn't actually lie to them."

"By the time they ruled out kidnapping and were treating it like a missing persons, he had already taken care of all the little details. The hospitals were asked about Jane Doe's matching her description, but nobody associated Quinn, who had a loving father at her bedside every minute of every day, with an unidentified accident victim."

"And her car?" she asked her mother. "Wouldn't they have been looking for that as well? Even in the junkyard where he stashed it?" Judy sighed.

"He already had it towed to the junkyard even before she was declared missing. A clerical error was made on its input date. The wrong month was put on the paperwork."

"Clerical error?" snorted Fran. "How much did he pay for that error?" Judy resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. She had thought the same thing as soon as she found out what happened.

Once Detective Franks had talked to Russel and had to close the case, he suggested she hire a private investigator to discover what really happened. She immediately did, and within a week she found out about her daughter's accident. She had come to Shelby, closer to breaking down and grabbing a bottle than ever before. Shelby had simply held her as she cried, letting her get all her rage and guilt out of her system before she opened the report the private investigator delivered.

The PI had easily found the car. Nothing had been done to hide it, except for the incorrect intake date. It was essentially hiding in plain sight. He had enclosed some pictures at the wrangled mess. You could hardly tell it was a car, let alone the make, model, or color. The only thing to survive the wreck was the VIN number, which explained why Russel could hide it so effectively without anyone knowing. He had bought the car, even if he bought it for Quinn, and still officially owned it.

The PI had also managed to get a hold of the official police report from the accident, which included a very detailed battle as the firefighters desperately tried to get the trapped girl out of the still burning wreckage. None of the rescue personnel had recognized the trapped girl as Quinn Fabray. They did recognize that the injured girl needed specialized services that Lima couldn't provide though, and called for Life Flight chopper to take her to the nearest trauma center. When the detective came asking about Quinn a few weeks later, they relayed the story of the crash. When he called the hospital, the receptionist had told him the girl from the crash had been identified and was with her family. It didn't occur to either of them that they were talking about the same girl.

"Should I confront him about this?" Fran asked. They both knew if Judy asked him he would simply lie again, but he had been trying to have a relationship with his oldest daughter, even if it was just a shadow of the one they used to have. Judy shook her head.

"I don't want you to get caught in the middle of this," she told her daughter.

"This is Quinn," she replied, grasping her mother's hand tightly. "I'm already in the middle." Judy knew her daughter felt guilty about how she treated her sister during her pregnancy. Judy felt the same way, and both women vowed to be there for the youngest Fabray once Quinn forgave them and moved back in with her mother. The two women looked up as Santana stumbled into the room.

"Sorry," she said, yawning loudly as she closed the front door. "Long night."

"How was work?" Judy asked sincerely. She had grown fond of all of Quinn's friends, especially the core group that stuck by her side through all the turmoil.

"Exhausting," she admitted reluctantly, "but much better than the bar I worked at before."

"That's good to hear," Judy said, smiling. Fran nodded her agreement before speaking.

"I'd just like to thank you again for letting me stay here." Santana just shrugged.

"Quinn's family so you're family," she explained. "Besides I fully expect compensation." She stopped as her phone started ringing. She looked at the caller than let it go to voicemail, only to have it ring again one second later. She checked the caller again, this time growling. "When I murder Berry in her sleep for calling me when I'm already exhausted I fully expect you to alibi me." They laughed as Santana answered her phone. "What is it dwarf?" They could clearly hear the irritation in her voice, and were immediately concerned when she paled and collapsed onto a stool. "Are you sure?" She listened for a few minutes before rolling her eyes. "Okay. I believe you. I'm on my way." She hung up the phone and turned to face the two Fabrays.

"Is everything okay sweetie?" Judy asked, her mothering instinct flaring up.

"Rachel's doing her show," she explained slowly, "and she saw Quinn in the audience."

"What?" both women jumped to their feet.

"She was, and I quote, 'Doing my standard intermission audience check to adjust my performance accordingly,' and she saw Quinn. Just for a second, since people started getting up to go to the lobby, but she was certain. And since she still has to perform she asked if I could come."

"I'm coming too," Judy told her. Frannie nodded her head as well.

"Okay," Santana agreed. "Just give me a minute to change into something more appropriate." The Latina slipped into her bedroom, leaving the two Fabrays alone with their thoughts. They were already wearing appropriate clothing, but they checked their hair and makeup simply to give themselves something to do while they waited. A few minutes later they were on their way to Broadway.

One of the stagehands was waiting for Santana at the side door. She quickly vouched for the other two, and soon they were backstage in Rachel's dressing room.

"She'll be backstage soon for a costume change," Santana told the others. Sure enough, a few minutes later Rachel rushed into the room.

"She's toward the middle, near the central aisle," Rachel said, speaking quickly as she changed costumes. The fact that she didn't ask them to step out spoke to how nervous she was. Rachel wasn't exactly shy, but she was modest. "I haven't seen her father anywhere, but I'm hardly in a position to keep an eye out for that man."

"We'll check," Santana promised as Rachel rushed out of the room. She turned to the others. "As long as you stay out of the way of the stagehands we can stay backstage. There are places we can watch the audience without detracting from the show." They nodded as they followed her from the room. A few minutes later they had a pretty good view of the crowd. "There," Santana pointed, focusing on the area Rachel described.

"Oh my God," Judy exclaimed quietly, clutching onto her daughter for support. She thought she might collapse as soon as she caught sight of her baby.

"Do we just confront her?" Frannie asked. Santana shook her head.

"We don't want to make a scene unless we have to," Santana said, desperate to bring her friend back, but unwilling to risk Rachel's good name. "Look, there's only so many ways out of the theater. The side doors lead to the alley, which most people don't use. That leaves the back doors to the lobby. You guys can each take a door. Chances are she'll head toward one of them. And I'll stay here just in case she doesn't. I'm pretty sure Rachel will come right up too."

"Okay," Judy agreed. She slowly stepped back. Letting her daughter out of her sight was one of the hardest things she has ever done. Santana quickly led them through the back hallways and into the lobby. The ushers approached them, frowns on their faces, but a quick word from Santana and they backed away. They quickly traded phone numbers, making sure that they each had a way to contact each other. Santana gave them Rachel's number too, just in case. Then she took Judy to the first door and pointed out where Quinn was sitting. Once Judy had her in sight, she repeated the process with Frannie on the other door before returning backstage. There was only about twenty minutes left in the show and she was determined not to let Quinn out of her sight.

"Do you see her?" Rachel asked twenty minutes later, right after the curtain dropped. She didn't even go change out of her costume, instead going directly to where the Latina was keeping watch.

"I've got her," Santana reassured her. "Judy and Frannie came too. They're at the other doors. We're not gonna let her sneak away this time."

"And her father?" Rachel asked, trying to see through the crowd that was slowly moving toward the door.

"No sign of him." She briefly turned to the Diva. "It looks like she's waiting for the crowd to thin. Why don't you change out of that costume? I know it's uncomfortable." Rachel debated for a second.

"I'll be back in a minute. Don't let her out of your sight." Santana nodded and a few minutes later Rachel was back in her regular clothes. The crowd of people had thinned, but not by much. Rachel resisted the urge to go back on stage to have a better view. Finally the crowds thinned enough to get a good view of her friend. She was sitting, eyes closed with a silly little grin on her face as she leaned back in her chair. Rachel frowned. She wasn't sitting in a theater chair. She was sitting in something else.

"Wheelchair?" Santana whispered in shock. "What the fuck is she doing in a wheelchair?" Rachel had no answer so she simply watched.

She was obviously on a date. The handsome, young man next to her kept a hand on the chair to keep it from moving when the theater patrons accidentally hit it as they moved toward the exit. He also kept whispering into her ear, which caused her to smile every time. She never opened her eyes but had a look of contentment on her face. Finally, the crowd exited enough to safely move her wheelchair. Her date whispered something else, to which Quinn finally frowned and opened her eyes. He slowly undid her breaks and carefully pushed her toward the door.

"Come on!" Rachel ordered as she followed after them. They didn't bother going around to the door, simply jumping off the stage. Judy was already walking toward them, tears running down her face while Fran was approaching from the other side.

"Quinnie?" Judy called softly. Quinn froze, a thousand different emotions crossing her face, while her date looked between them in shock. "It's me. Your mother." Time seemed to stand still. Until Quinn fainted.

* * *

Russel was furious. Nathan had called him as soon as Quinn fainted. Not only did he have to cut his conference short, but since she was out of the house, Quinn was taken to the nearest hospital, not his preferred private hospital that knew exactly how to handle her. He was beginning to rethink his plans for the young man. He had originally hoped he had found someone who could care for Quinn. She was supposed to be getting married and starting a family soon, like a good Christian woman. He knew it would be harder to find a man who would actually love his daughter, she had changed so much since the accident, but he was hoping to find someone who could at least not be disgusted with her and hopefully work from there. That was why he agreed to his daughter's request for a tutor in the first place. Nathan showed so much promise initially, but now he found out he was sneaking his daughter out of the house behind his back. What else was he doing to her.

"I am so sorry Mr. Fabray," Nathan apologized as soon as he saw the intimidating man. Russel knew he was making the young tutor uncomfortable, but there was a defiance in his eyes that worried him.

"Your fired," he said sharply. "Go back to the house and get your things. I never want to see you on my property again." Nathan turned and was gone a second later. Satisfied, he turned to the reception desk. "Lucy Fabray," he said sharply. "She was brought in last night." The receptionist began typing, frowning slightly before looking at him.

"She's in room 427," she said.

"I would like to start the process of transferring her to her regular physician," he stated.

"You'll have to talk to her doctor about that," she said coldly.

"Could you please page him?"

"In fact, he's waiting for your arrival." Russel stared at her, but she kept a blank face.

"Very well. Which way?" The receptionist directed him to the right room. His anxiety rose with every step. Something was wrong, he could feel it.

"Russel Fabray?" He had just turned the corner only to find two people waiting for him. "I'm Dr. Lance Mathison. I'm the attending physician for your daughter."

"Doctor?" He addressed the man, the scrubs he was wearing gave away his position, and shot a curious look to the woman waiting next to him. She just gazed at him stoically. He returned his attention to the doctor. "How is my daughter?"

"She's resting comfortably," he told the father.

"I want to transfer her to her regular physician," he told the doctor. "How long until she can be moved?"

"I'm afraid that might be a while?" the woman spoke up at last. Russel frowned at her.

"And what is your qualification to make such a statement?" he asked. "Are you a doctor?"

"No," she admitted. Russel immediately ignored her and turned back to the doctor.

"I demand to see my daughter." The two shared a look until the woman nodded. Russel felt the dread return.

"Right this way." The doctor turned and led Russel down the hallway, the woman falling into step behind him. He was furious when he entered the room, only to be followed by the two of them.

"A little privacy please," he demanded.

"I think not," the woman said. He glared at her. She glared right back.

"Fine," he huffed, turning from them to check on his daughter. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully. There were no tubes running into her, no machine breathing for her, and the only machines attached to her were a finger pulse oximeter and a blood pressure cuff. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

"She fainted due to low blood pressure," the doctor explained. "She also has extremely low blood sugar and is slightly anemic. She is responding well to treatments and has stabilized since she was admitted."

"If she's stabilized I won't need to transfer her after all," Russel told the doctor. "I'll be taking her home instead."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," the woman again spoke up.

"And who are you to tell me what I can and can't do in regard to my daughter?" Russel asked angrily. The woman simply pulled her blazer to the side.

"Detective Romero of the NYPD," she said simply, watching as his eyes darted to her badge. "Special victims." His eyes shot up at that.

"Was my daughter raped?" he demanded.

"No," she shook her head, "but we also investigate cases regarding abuse."

"Abuse!" Russel shouted. Quinn shifted on the bed, frowning slightly even though she didn't wake up. Russel immediately reigned in his anger.

"Perhaps we can discuss this elsewhere?" the detective asked. "I don't want to disturb your daughter when she is finally sleeping peacefully." He nodded and followed them out of the room, only to run into Judy in the hallway.

"What are you doing here?" he shouted.

"She's my daughter!" Judy yelled back. "Where else would I be? In a grave, six feet under?" Russel winced. He hated lying back when Quinn was in that accident, but there was no other way to keep her safe from her mother's influence.

"You have no right to be here," he tried a different tactic. "She chose me."

"She didn't choose anything!" Judy screamed. "The hospital contacted you and you stole her away! You didn't even have the decency to tell me my daughter was in a coma for two months! How could you hate me so much?"

"It was the best thing to do for Lucy!" He defended his actions, screaming as loud as she was. The screaming brought others in from another room, Russel saw someone he thought might have been one of Quinn's friends from high school, but he wasn't sure. The doctor and the detective had put themselves between the arguing couple, just in case they actually came to blows. "You can't trust anything this woman says. She is trying to discredit me."

"You're doing a fine job of that by yourself!" Judy responded. Their shouting had brought security running, but everything was forgotten when their daughter screamed. They both rushed into the room, the doctor and detective following close behind.

"Daddy!" she screamed, her eyes wide and terrified. Judy gasped as her daughter's eyes passed right over her.

"It's okay Lucy," he gathered her up in a hug. She leaned into him briefly before weakly pushing up.

"I'm so sorry," she began apologizing to him. "I didn't mean to get sick. Please don't send Tobey away." Russel sighed. Of course, she would be more worried about that dog than him.

"I don't think Tobey's working out," he said. She reacted immediately, pushing him away and nearly falling out of bed herself.

"Tobey!" she screamed. Russel sighed, moving in to comfort her, but again she pushed him away. The doctor moved in then, quickly injecting something into her arm even as she continued to scream. "Tobey!"

"He's not here," Russel tried again, but she shook her head.

"You can't keep him from me," she insisted, the drugs giving her a confidence she usually lacked. He was about to retort when he heard the distinctive sound of paws on the linoleum. The dog forced its way into the room, putting his front paws on the bed and licking her face. She immediately calmed down, her hand stretching out to scratch behind his ears even as she fell back into her bed, her eyes closing. She quickly succumbed to the sedative, her breathing evening out while her arm hung limply over the bed. Tobey jumped down, nudged her arm back onto the bed, then curled up beneath the hospital bed.

"That dog can't be here," Dr. Mathison said, motioning for the security staff that came running during the argument. "Pet's aren't allowed."

"He's not a pet." Russel looked up, eyes hardening when he saw Nathan standing in the doorway.

"I thought I made it clear I never wanted to see you," Russel said, venom dripping with every word.

"Perfectly clear," he told him, "but when I was getting my things I thought maybe Lucy might like some of her things too. Especially him." He turned to the doctor. "He's a service animal. And legally you can't deny him access to any public building, unless you legitimately believe his being here is detrimental to the health and well-being of your patient." The doctor looked back toward the pair. Even in sleep, Lucy's hand kept jerking towards him while the dog was completely still underneath the bed. If he didn't see him run in he might not even notice him.

"Fine," he decided. "He can stay, but I need a handler to stay with him at all times. And if I say the word he's out of here no questions asked." Nathan quickly agreed, and the doctor turned his attention to the bickering couple. They had calmed down when their daughter needed them, but now that she was asleep they were glaring at each other. "Shall we continue this elsewhere so your daughter can sleep?"

"Fine," huffed Russel, following the doctor out of the room. Judy and the detective followed as well. Dr. Mathison led them into a small conference room. "I do not abuse my daughter," Russel started as soon as everyone was seated. "Whatever lies my wife told you is false. Besides, Lucy is an adult. She can choose who she wants in her life. Judy is just upset she choose me."

"Because she doesn't know any differently," Judy countered. "Because you told her I was dead. You're the only family she knows because you made it happen."

"Enough!" Detective Romero held up her hands. "I don't care what has happened in the past except how it pertains to the present." She turned to Russel. "Mr. Fabray. There have been some concerns raised regarding your daughter's treatment."

"I don't abuse my daughter," he repeated. "And any concerns you get from her are simply lies."

"Neglect is also a form of abuse," the detective said softly, "and unfortunately I have more concerns than only Mrs. Fabray. I also have medical documentation." Russel glared at the doctor, but he simply held his stare.

"What prescribed medication is your daughter currently taking?" the doctor asked.

"We don't believe in taking daily medication," Russel told them. "We believe God gives us these challenges and will never give us more than we can overcome. When God is pleased with our work he will remove the challenges he gives us." Judy rolled her eyes.

"God's healing your daughter?" Doctor Mathison asked sarcastically. "God is doing a piss poor job."

"It doesn't matter what you think," he retorted. "We are entitled to our beliefs and we are entitled to choose what kind of care we want."

"You are entitled to choose," the detective clarified, "and if your daughter was competent she could also choose. But her competency has been called into question."

"My daughter is in her right mind," Russel countered. "She chose to stay with me."

"Your daughter received a Traumatic Brain Injury in the accident," Dr. Mathison tried to explain, "which resulted in brain damage and memory loss. When that happened, your daughter lost the ability to make informed choices for herself."

"That is confidential medical information!" Russel raged. "How dare you bring that up in this public setting."

"Public setting?" Judy screeched. "I'm her mother. I have a right to know about my daughter's medical history."

"Enough!" Detective Romero shouted, forcing the bickering adults to back down. "I don't care about what happened. I care about that girl sleeping down the hall." She turned to Russel. "You are entitled to your beliefs, but when someone is put into your care, your first thought must always be what is in their best interest." He opened his mouth to protest, but she stopped him by raising a hand. "You have not done what is in the best interest of your daughter. Even though she is technically an adult, the state will step in to stop her neglect."

"You can't do that!" Russel screamed.

"It's already done," Romero told him sternly. "The court has already granted temporary guardianship to Judy Fabray, pending a hearing at a later date. Also, I am opening an investigation into the care your daughter received while under your guardianship."

"I won't stand for this," Russel yelled as he stormed out of the room. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when after he left. Judy turned to the doctor.

"Does this mean I can take Quinn home?"

"I'd like to keep her overnight to make sure her blood pressure is stable," Dr. Mathison told her. Judy nodded.

"And, I'm sorry if I'm being blunt, but do you have a suitable home here?" Detective Romero stared intently at the older woman. "As I understand, you live in Ohio. I don't think it would be in Lucy's best interest to move her to another state so soon. You may have been given temporary guardianship, but Protective Services is very interested in this case."

"Quinn," Judy responded distractedly. "Her middle name is Quinn. She started using it just before she started high school. She stopped going by Lucy years ago." The detective frowned, looking at the paperwork in her hand.

"She's listed as Lucy Fabray," she thought out loud. "There's no middle name listed." Judy snorted.

"That's something else Russel stole from her. Some other way to control her." She looked to the detective. "I do live in Ohio, but as soon as Rachel saw Quinn I started looking for homes here. I can finalize something quickly, and until I do I am more than capable of affording a hotel stay for the both of us. I would never move Quinn unless I thought it was best for her."

"I would expect Protective Services to conduct a home inspection before they sign off on her living arrangements." Judy nodded.

"Can they take her away?" she asked hesitantly. Romero nodded.

"It's best if you think of this as a child custody dispute," she explained. "If Protective Services feels the home environment is not in Lucy's best interests, they can place her in a form of state run care, or even return her to Mr. Fabray if they think that is in her best interest."

"Which it wouldn't be," Dr. Mathison interjected, studying the folder in his hands.

"How bad is it?" Romero asked.

"Not as bad as I was expecting," he told them honestly, "especially considering his aversion to modern medicine, but I just have her records from Columbus Mercy. I don't have Morningside yet."

"The warrants have been signed and are on their way," Romero spoke up. "We should have all that information within the hour."

"Good," the doctor replied, "though I doubt that will be as pleasant as Columbus Mercy."

"What's wrong with Morningside?" Judy asked, worried at their reactions.

"Morningside is a private hospital that only extremely well connected people can get accepted to," Dr. Mathison explained. "And they have a reputation for allowing whoever pays the bills to dictate the type and level of care that their patients receive. And given what we just saw, the chances for her getting the care she needed there are slim."

"And they get away with this?" Judy asked, outraged.

"They do have their limits," Romero finished, "and they have never crossed the line into patient abuse, but yes, they do get away with it. Legally, they're not doing anything wrong. Morally, it's another matter entirely."

"And he put her there." Judy closed her eyes at the thought of what her baby had gone through.

"You're here for her now," Romero told the other woman quietly. "That's the most important thing." She nodded, fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall.


	6. Chapter 6

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"We have a few things to discuss about your daughter's case," the doctor started a few minutes later, "but we can have this discussion later if it's too much right now."

"No," Judy said with conviction. "This is my daughter. I need to know." Dr. Mathison nodded.

"I don't know how much you know about the accident," he started.

"I saw a copy of the police report," she told him. He nodded.

"The accident nearly killed your daughter," he told her bluntly. "Fortunately, she received the best care at one of the foremost trauma centers in the Midwest. The accident caused extreme pressure on your daughter's brain and spinal cord. The doctors relieved the pressure as quickly as possible, but your daughter lapsed into a coma. At that time, there were concerns whether she would even survive, but she's a fighter."

"You have no idea," Judy murmured. Detective Romero silently handed her some tissues. Judy dabbed at her eyes, grateful for the moment to recompose herself. Hearing how close her daughter came to dying was hard, especially considering the fact she had been sitting around the kitchen table waiting for Quinn to come home during this time.

"She was in a coma for over two months," Dr. Mathison continued. "When she woke up there were immediate signs of brain damage, namely her amnesia and blindness. At the time of her transfer, neither had improved and Dr. Smith believed those two conditions to be permanent. She was also showing signs of neurological impairment. She couldn't remember things she was told numerous times, and showed confusion at simple concepts. Confusion and memory loss are quite common after the trauma she endured so they weren't concerned initially, but as time went on her condition did not improve. They had just begun tracking her mental cognition when your ex-husband transferred her."

"What does that mean?" Judy asked. "I know she doesn't remember me, but does that mean she will never remember me?"

"I honestly don't know," Dr. Mathison told her. "I'd have to watch her over a series of days to determine her mental capabilities, and quite frankly, a hospital setting isn't the best place to do that for someone like Lucy."

"What do you mean?" Judy asked.

"Normally evaluations like these are done in the hospital simply because the patients are not physically able to leave. That is not Lucy's case. Physically she has healed remarkably well."

"But?" Romero asked, sensing his hesitation. They had worked several cases together, and she knew he was holding back. He sighed.

"I don't know anything for certain," he started, "especially since we don't have the records from Morningside yet, but there are several factors that already point in the direction of neglect, if not direct abuse. I was wondering if she ever really received any rehabilitation."

"How so?" Romero asked.

"She has already admitted she can't get around on her own, even to simply get out of bed or even get dressed. The injury to her spinal cord was bad, but it's low enough that even if it was a complete break, she should be able to perform at least these basic tasks. Those are the first things rehab hospitals teach you." He looked at the chart in his hands. "There are several medications someone in her situation would be expected to take daily. Blood pressure medication, muscle relaxants for spasms, anxiety meds, even daily pain management. She has none of these." He turned to Judy. "I'm keeping your daughter overnight for observation, but I'd like to keep her another day or so and do a full medical checkup for her." Judy nodded her consent.

"You'll keep me informed?"

"Every step of the way," he nodded.

"I suppose it will give me more time to find appropriate housing." Romero smiled at her warmly.

"Let's go see your daughter." Judy nodded, following the detective from the room and into her daughter's hospital room. Fran was waiting there, along with Rachel and Santana. Neither of them had gone home since Quinn was brought here the night before. There was also the young man who brought the dog in.

"Nathan," he introduced himself when he saw her standing in the doorway.

"Judy." She took his proffered hand.

"A pleasure to meet you," he told her, "especially since I thought you were dead."

"You're apparently not the only one," she joked. He smiled and released her hand, taking one of the seats next to the window. "You brought in the dog?" she double checked.

"Yep," he confirmed. "I hope that's okay. Nobody's allergic or anything, right? Cause I can take him back out if I need too. I just know Lucy missed him so much."

"Quinn," Santana barked at him. "She goes by Quinn." The Latina realized he worked for Russel and was holding that against him.

"Santana," Judy sighed. Santana immediately backed down.

"Sorry Mrs. F." Judy smiled at her as she bent down to look under the bed. A pair of warm chocolate eyes were staring right at her.

"And what is your name?" Judy asked.

"Tobey," Rachel answered a second before Judy made the connection in her mind. This was the dog playing fetch with Quinn in the short video Rachel took. As soon as he heard his name, Tobey crawled out from under the bed and put his head in the Diva's lap. Rachel scratched his ears for a second before he turned and went back under the bed.

"He likes you," Nathan said, studying her more intently. "Hey. You were at the park that one day. You're that Broadway star. Rachel Berry. Lucy really wanted to go see your show, so I snuck her out while Russel was out of town."

"Quinn," Rachel interrupted. "She prefers Quinn over Lucy. The name Lucy has some negative connotations associated with it that she would prefer to avoid."

"But she didn't want to see the show," he continued, despite the interruption. "She just wanted to see you." He got a thoughtful look on his face. "You know each other."

"We all went to school together," Santana answered. "Me, Berry, and Quinn. Plus a bunch of other people who will be here as soon as we tell them."

"But she doesn't remember anything from before the accident," he told them. "At least according to Russel. That's why I was there. I'm her tutor. I was helping her get her GED." He pointed to one of the bags he brought. Santana reached over and opened it up, pulling out a huge book.

"What the hell is this?" she asked.

"One of her textbooks," he told them.

"Why is it so big?" Fran asked. Santana had already pulled the textbook onto her lap and was opening it. They were momentarily confused when there was nothing but dots on the page.

"No," whispered Rachel. Her face fell as she realized exactly what the raised dots meant.

"I'm sorry," Nathan said. "I thought you knew she was blind. Russel's never really gone out of his way to hide the fact that he has a special needs child."

"No," Judy agreed, "he would like the attention. Too bad he never really took care of her." There was nothing any of them could say to that so they just sat in silence waiting for the small girl to wake up.

* * *

Hours later Quinn finally started stirring. "Quinn? Honey? Can you hear me?" Judy asked desperately while Santana ran to get the doctor and detective. Seconds later they were all watching as Quinn pulled herself from unconsciousness. "It's okay Quinnie. I'm here." Quinn was blinking sleepily, but froze at the unfamiliar voice.

"Who's there?" she asked sleepily. "Nancy, is that you?"

"Who's Nancy?" Santana asked. Quinn turned toward the voice, but she couldn't hide the fear on her face at another strange voice.

"Her nurse," Nathan answered. Quinn turned toward him, the relief clear to see on her face.

"Nathan?" she asked, waiving her hand in his direction. He moved toward her, grabbing her hand and moving it to his face.

"It's okay. I'm right here," he soothed. A few minutes later she had calmed down.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"What do you remember?" he asked.

"The show," she replied dreamily before looking confused. "Then I thought I heard someone I couldn't have. I thought I heard my mother, but she's dead."

"You remember your mother's voice?" Nathan asked, looking at Judy sympathetically. Quinn shrugged.

"No," she admitted, "but sometimes I dream about it. I don't exactly remember, but I remember what hearing it felt like and I'll get flashes of feelings. Does that make sense?"

"It does," he told her. "Do you remember anything else?" She shook her head. "You fainted. The theater called an ambulance and they brought you to the hospital. That's where you are now."

"I could have told you that," she told him sarcastically. "Nothing beeps quite like a hospital." She smiled at her attempt at a joke, before letting the smile fade. "Daddy is gonna be so mad when he finds out."

"He already found out," he told her. "And he's pissed."

"What did he do?" she asked fearfully.

"He officially fired me," Nathan told her, "but I'm hoping another single parent with a blind daughter who needs tutoring to get her GED will hire me."

"How many of us do you think are out there?" she asked, laughing at him.

"All I need is one." They both laughed for a few minutes before she turned quiet.

"Is he gonna take Tobey away?"

"I would never let that happen," Nathan reassured her. "Put your hand over the bed." She looked quizzical but did as he requested. A huge smile erupted when Tobey moved his head to her hand.

"I thought I dreamed that," she said, happily scratching his ears.

"Nope. But since this is a hospital there are some extra rules he needs to follow. He can't jump up on the bed, no matter how much you both want to. And if the doctors or nurses need him to leave, he has to leave. No questions."

"Okay," she readily agreed. "But daddy won't like this."

"He doesn't have much say right now," Nathan told her. He looked towards Detective Romero, who quickly approached the bed.

"Hi Lucy. I'm detective Melissa Romero with the NYPD. I have to ask you some questions. Do you feel up to it?" She reached out and put her hand next to Quinn's, leaving Quinn the option of grabbing it or not. Quinn squeezed it briefly before moving her hand up the detective's arm, onto her shoulder, and finally onto her face. Melissa leaned closer to make it easier for Quinn. After a minute, Quinn let her hand drop and nodded.

"Okay."

"If at any time you start feeling tired let me know and I'll stop." Quinn nodded. "Also, there are some additional people in the room, and while I normally don't allow civilians in my interviews, they do pertain directly to something I want to discuss with you." Quinn thought about it for a minute.

"It's okay if they stay," she said, leaning back in the bed. Tobey retreated back underneath. Quinn kept a firm grip on Nathan though, her fingers turning white with the pressure.

"Okay. Again, if at any time you want them to leave just let me know." Quinn nodded, her eyes staring straight ahead. "First, can you tell me your name for the record?"

"Lucy Fabray."

"And what are the names of your parents?"

"Russel Fabray is my father. Judy Fabray was my mother, but she died a long time ago, when I was just a little kid."

"Can you tell me what happened last night?" the detective asked kindly. Quinn sighed.

"I knew I shouldn't have snuck out, but I wanted to go so badly."

"Go where?" she prompted.

"To see the show."

"What show?" Quinn sighed.

"I can't remember the name," she admitted. "I really didn't care what show it was. I just wanted to go see her."

"See who?" The detective asked. Quinn smiled.

"Rachel. I met her at the dog park. She was so nice to me. I wanted to thank her, but I had to leave before I could. Daddy was mad when he found out so I knew he'd never agree to take me, but I wanted to see her again so badly. When daddy left for his conference it was like a gift from God. I convinced Nathan to take me and I had the most amazing night of my life. Nathan treated me like a princess and never once complained, even though I know I don't look very good anymore. But he took me to a fancy dinner then to a Broadway show."

"Then what?" The detective prodded.

"It was amazing." The smile slowly faded as Quinn continued. "But at the end I thought I heard my mom's voice. But I couldn't have. The next thing I know I'm waking up here."

"Has your father ever hit you or threatened you?"

"No." Quinn shook her head. "He has never hit me. Sometimes he'll punish me if I'm bad, but only if I mess up."

"How does he punish you?" the detective asked, jotting down notes as they were talking.

"Mostly with bible study. No matter how many times I read it I just can't understand. Daddy keeps saying I'm not trying hard enough, but I really do try. He'll usually make me study through my bath time."

"Bath time?" she asked. Quinn nodded.

"If I'm good I can take an hour-long bath right before bedtime. It helps ease the ache and relieves the tension in my muscles. I always sleep so much better after a hot bath."

"And if you don't get a bath?" She asked. Quinn shrugged.

"Nancy will give me a sponge bath as she gets me ready for bed, but it's never quite the same."

"Nancy is your home care nurse?"

"Yes. She comes twice a day, once in the morning to get me ready for the day and once at night to get me ready for bed." She looked down in shame before admitting the next part. "I can't get ready on my own."

"Does she ever hurt you or made you feel uncomfortable?"

"No. I feel more like an object or a job with her, not like a person."

"Does he punish you in any other way?" Quinn looked down.

"He takes Tobey away," she said quietly, her hand reaching over her bed. Tobey licked her fingers reassuringly. "He likes to take Tobey away. He says I don't deserve him."

"Do you remember your mother's death?" Romero asked. Quinn shook her head.

"I was in an accident a few years ago, a bad one. I hurt my head really bad. That's why it's so hard to remember and understand stuff now. I couldn't remember anything when I first woke up. I didn't even know who I was."

"How do you know your mother is dead?"

"Daddy told me when I asked where mommy was." Detective Romero sighed quietly, closing her notebook.

"Lucy, sweetie, I don't know how to tell you this other than coming right out and saying it. Your father lied. Your mother isn't dead. She was there that night. You did hear her voice. In fact, she's here right now." Quinn shook her head, her pale skin going even whiter. Judy reached over and took her hand.

"Quinn? Baby. I'm right here. I love you so much sweetheart." Quinn jerked her hand away. Judy didn't try to fight her. "I have been looking for you for a very long time."

"I think," she started uncertainly. "I think I would like to be alone."

"Of course," Detective Romero told her. "Can you all please clear the room?" Quinn was visibly surprised at the number of footsteps she suddenly heard leaving her room.

"Do you want me to stay?" Nathan offered. She smiled at him.

"Don't go far?" she asked. He nodded.

"I'll be right outside."

"Do you know where the call button is?" Romero asked. Quinn reluctantly released Nathan as she ran a gently hand over her bed, finally stopping on the rails. A second later she pointed out the call button.

"I've been in hospitals a lot," she joked, gaining back a bit of her confidence. Romero chuckled.

"Call if you need anything. We'll be outside." She waited until the last of the footsteps exited into the hall and the door clicked closed before letting herself think about what just happened. She gradually tuned out the beeping machines and odd hum of hospital machinery until the only sound breaking the silence was the slow, even breathing of Tobey. Carefully she detached herself from the pulse oximeter and pulled the blood pressure cuff off. She slowly ran a hand over the rest of her body, making sure she wasn't attached to some other piece of equipment, before slowly climbing, or more accurately, falling out of bed.

She heard Tobey lift his head up, but he didn't move as she crawled underneath the bed to join him. Only after she had her arms wrapped around his warm body did she allow the tears to come. She slowly cried herself to sleep in the privacy of the hospital room. Unbeknownst to her, the entire group watched every movement through the wide-open blinds.

* * *

"So what now?" Judy asked the detective. She was standing outside the room, watching her daughter. Her heart broke at the scene she just witnessed. Watching children crying themselves to sleep was hard enough when they were little, but seeing her adult daughter doing the same broke her heart. The doctor gave her a few minutes to fall deeply asleep before heading back to the room. Everybody else moved away, giving the distraught woman time to pull herself together.

"There will be an investigation," she explained. "You have temporary guardianship simply because you were granted custody during the divorce. If the investigation reveals Mr. Fabray was neglectful with his care of Lucy, the guardianship will more than likely become permanent, unless you are also deemed unfit." Judy nodded.

"How do I keep him away from her? I just want her to be safe. I never realized he had turned so fanatical." The detective looked at her appraisingly.

"You can file a motion for a restraining order, but until the investigation is complete it will probably be modified to supervised visitation. But at least he won't be able to take her away and disappear." She paused. "I don't know if you kept tabs on your ex-husband or not, but Russel Fabray is a very powerful man. When powerful people are under investigation, the media goes crazy. Also, the case automatically becomes high profile. Social Services has already contacted the precinct. They are going to be closely watching you, and unfortunately it isn't all going to be in Lucy's best interest."

"Should I call my lawyer?" Judy asked. "He can be here within a day if necessary.

"It wouldn't hurt to keep him appraised," Detective Romero admitted. Judy sighed. "I know it seems hopeless right now," she soothed, "but there are just so many questions we still don't know the answer to. Give us time to investigate. We'll find the answers we need and I promise I will do everything that is in the best interest of Lucy." Judy nodded. Romero reached over and grabbed the tissues from a small table in the hallway. She passed them over to Judy, who took them with a small nod. "Is it okay to ask you some questions about your ex-husband and his relationship with your daughter?"

"Of course," she nodded.

"How was your home life before the divorce?" She sighed.

"At the time, I thought nothing was wrong," she admitted. "We were the perfect family to everyone on the outside. Russel was very concerned about public image, but as long as we all played our parts everything was fine."

"Did he ever hit you or your children?" Judy shook her head.

"He never hit me and I never saw him hit our children, but I was hardly in any condition to notice if he did." She sighed then turned to face the detective. "I'm an alcoholic and was more concerned about the bottle than what was happening to my own family," she shamefully admitted. "He did have a temper though, and he liked to control every aspect of everyone's life."

"But you eventually filed for divorce?" Judy nodded.

"Quinn got pregnant and I saw a side of Russel that I never knew existed. He kicked her out of the house without a thought. He didn't even bother speaking to me about it. But it forced me to take a good, hard look at my life. I got help and eventually kicked him out. I filed for divorce a year later."

"Detective Franks said the divorce was amicable."

"It was, or at least I thought it was. I never used the divorce as a vendetta against him. I just wanted it to be over. He didn't contest any of the terms of the divorce agreement, not even custody of Quinn."

"You had sole custody of Quinn?" she asked, writing notes again.

"For all the good it did," Judy admitted. "She was seventeen at the time, almost an adult. When Russel didn't contest custody, I figured he didn't care about her. He pretty much disowned her when he found out about her pregnancy."

"Why was he still her emergency contact?" The detective asked, thinking out loud. Judy shook her head.

"I have no idea. He said he was taking her off the insurance when he kicked her out. I never followed up on his threat. I just assumed he did. When Quinn came home I had my own insurance and added her." They looked up when Dr. Mathison exited the hospital room. He had just gotten Lucy back into bed.

"She's sleeping peacefully," he told them. "Now I must insist that you go home and get some rest. The best thing for Lucy right now is time to adjust. You can come back tomorrow."

"Thank you." She stood at the window for, never taking her eyes of her youngest, until Detective Romero gently grabbed her elbow. She nodded and let herself be led away. She had tears running down her cheeks and grabbed some more tissues before she went to round up the others. They were in shock as they took a cab back to the apartment, only to find one angry husband and a bunch of concerned friends waiting for them.

"Where have you been?" Finn asked as soon as they walked through the door. He either didn't notice or didn't care about the tear tracks or their exhausted expressions. He turned to his wife. "You didn't come home last night. There was no note, not even a text saying where you went. I thought something happened to you."

"Something did," Rachel said, leaning into her husband. "Quinn." They all broke down again, but this time there were others to help. Soon the four women cried themselves to sleep and were in bed, leaving everyone in the kitchen with more questions than answers.


	7. Chapter 7

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Hours later the shocked group were waiting in the conference room. Russel Fabray was a very powerful and connected man, and when the press found out he was under investigation for child abuse it turned into a feeding frenzy. Nobody really understood what that phrase meant, until there were microphones shoved in their faces and pictures constantly being taken, just because they exited the car with Judy. They followed her lead and ignored them as they calmly walked into the hospital. "It will calm down," Judy assured them. Coming from a prominent family herself, she was used to the media attention, though it had been quite a while since she endured anything this bad.

"Or you could just think of this as a trial run Rachel," Blaine said.

"You're already starting to get noticed out in public," Kurt added. "It's only a matter of time before the press starts stalking you too."

"Thanks for the encouragement," Rachel responded sarcastically, but she knew they were right. Her debut performance was still getting rave reviews, and though it would still run for a few more months, she was already getting inquiries from some of the best producers on Broadway for her next project. Once everyone was inside, they followed Dr. Mathison to the conference room.

"You're her friends?" he asked. They all nodded.

"All of them that are in New York right now," Rachel added helpfully. "Quinn has other friends spread throughout the country who I'm sure would be here now if they knew."

"Let's limit the number of friends for right now," he told them. They nodded, expecting that once Rachel and Santana had told them about their encounter with Quinn. "Now, if you haven't heard, Lucy's situation is being investigated. Which means there will be no unsupervised visitation from anyone. Also, I want to limit the amount of information she is exposed to at one time, so no more than two visitors at a time and for no longer than fifteen minutes. If any of you have a problem with this, the door is right there." Everyone shook their heads, but Rachel started frowning.

"Rach?" Finn asked, rubbing her arm encouragingly.

"I was just wondering if Mr. Fabray is following these same guidelines?" The doctor nodded.

"He is," he assured them. Finally, Rachel nodded.

"Can we see her now?" Santana asked. The doctor shook his head.

"Your friend suffered a horrible crash a few years ago." They all nodded their head. This was nothing new to them. "As a result, she suffered an extreme case of amnesia. She didn't remember anything, including who she was."

"Which was why Russel was able to hide her away so easily," Judy added. "She didn't remember," she paused, fighting back tears, "doesn't remember anything from before the accident. She thought I was dead, because that's what Russel has been telling her. She also doesn't know she has friends, because Russel never told her she had any."

"She got a huge shock last night," Dr. Mathison continued, "when she found out her mother was alive and at her bedside. She's still trying to deal with that shock. It would be best if there were no other huge shocks for her to deal with at the moment."

"What do we do?" Brittany asked, afraid of hurting her friend even more.

"Let her set the tone," he told them. "Don't go in there expecting her to react the way you remember her to because she isn't that girl anymore. Don't be afraid to talk to her, and answer any questions she asks as honestly as possible, but don't bombard her with huge amounts of information." They nodded. He led them to the hallway. They cried as they saw Quinn sitting on the bed through the windows for the first time in over seven years. He motioned for Judy and Fran, who were more composed than any of the others. They stepped up. "One warning though," he said before he opened the door. "If you make her uncomfortable or become disruptive, intentionally or not, you will not be allowed to return. All further visits depend on Lucy's reaction to you, and I have no problem kicking you to the curb if you upset my patient." They all nodded in understanding. He stared at the group for another minute before opening the door. As he led Judy and Fran inside the rest of the group watched silently from the halls.

* * *

Lucy looked up at the sound of her door opening. It had been an exhausting morning, mentally and physically, and she craved some peace and quiet. She smiled when she heard the sound of paws.

"Hey Lucy," Nathan greeted, even as Tobey placed his two front paws on the bed and licked her face. "I'm sorry I couldn't bring him by earlier, but I had classes and I just couldn't miss them."

"You still let me say goodnight to him," she said, as Tobey curled up in his usual spot under her bed. Her day suddenly looked brighter. She was amazed that Tobey was still there when she woke up after crying herself to sleep. It was way past visiting hours, and she thought someone would have kicked the dog out. But Dr. Mathison agreed to let Nathan stay until Lucy woke up so she could say goodbye before he had to take him back to his apartment for the night. She was worried what would happen to Tobey if her father got him again, but Nathan promised to look out for him, just like he looked out for her. He also promised to bring him by again after class, but he wasn't sure when that would be. He didn't know which classes he could afford to skip and which he had to attend. "How was your day?"

"Horrible," he told her, taking one of the seats while a nurse discretely checked Lucy's readings, recording them and stepping to the side of the room to watch. "I had to listen to Professor Abbott drone on about tax laws for three hours. By the end of the lecture the entire room was asleep." Lucy laughed. "How was your day?"

"Okay," she shrugged. "I had some visitors in the morning. Then Dr. Mathison held me captive while they ran every single test he could think of on me. I'm perfectly fine. I don't know why they needed to run an MRI of my brain again. It's like they don't trust Morningside put me back together again."

"They're just being cautious Lucy," he told her sympathetically. "Like that time Tobey tore out his nail. The vet said he'd be alright in a few days, but you still freaked every time you heard him limp or whimper."

"I guess you're right," she admitted.

"Never doubt that," he said smugly. She glared at him, then turned pensive again. "So, you had some visitors?"

"Don't," she shook her head. "I'm not ready to deal with that yet."

"Whenever you're ready," he told her sincerely, reaching out to grab her hand and squeeze gently. She returned the gesture. "So, visitors and a doctor huh? Sounds much better than my day."

"Oh it gets better," she said, pulling her hand away. "When Dr. Mathison finally ran out of tests to run, he handed me off to Dr. Caraway. We sat and talked for who knows how long. I'm pretty sure she's a shrink, and I think my next stop might be a padded room."

"The talk didn't go well?" Nathan asked. Lucy shrugged.

"She kept asking me about my feelings. How do I feel about the accident? How do I feel about my father? How do I feel about my mother? How do I feel about my father lying about my mother's death? On and on. I mean, I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about all this. The last thing I need is some shrink asking me how I feel then telling me how I should feel and why."

"I doubt she would do that," he told her sympathetically. Lucy sighed.

"I just need time and it seems like nobody is giving it to me."

"I know it seems like we're smothering you," he told her, moving over to the bed and pulling her into a hug, "but that's just because we care so much." He felt her nod and let the moment drag out for a minute. "Have you seen your father?"

"Not since last night," she admitted. "Part of me is glad, the other part is terrified. He's gonna be so mad when this is over."

"Just remember he can't hurt you anymore."

"He never did," she reminded him. He sighed.

"Lucy, there are a lot of ways to hurt someone. Physically hitting them is one of the easiest. And we both know your father never does things the easy way." She nodded, tears starting to fall as she leaned into his embrace. He held her for a minute before she pulled away.

"I'm kinda tired," she said, laying back in her bed. He nodded.

"I have homework I need to finish anyway," he said, getting to his feet, "and as long as I'm in here the nurse has to stay and she's starting to scare me." They both smiled when the nurse started chuckling lightly. "I'll leave Tobey here. I'll be outside doing my homework if you need me." She nodded and he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead. He quietly opened the door, the nurse following him out. He watched her through the windows as she lowered her arm off the bed. Tobey immediately moved so his head was touching. He watched as she spoke to the dog for a few minutes before falling asleep. Again, Tobey moved her arm until it was securely on the bed before curling up beneath her.

"That dog is amazing," the nurse commented as they both watched. He nodded.

"He's very protective of Lucy. He was trained to be her eyes, but he's become her arms and legs too. They're pretty amazing to watch, especially if they're somewhere where they can be themselves."

"I would love to see that," she said, before turning to him. "Let me know if you need anything." He nodded as he took a seat and pulled out his textbook. He opened the book dutifully, though he doubted tax law would keep his interest tonight.

* * *

Lucy was idly flipping through TV stations when she received her next visitor. "Daddy," she said nervously.

"Lucy," he responded, glaring at the nurse that entered with him. She was unperturbed though, simply standing off to the side and watching every move he made. He threw her one more look before focusing on his daughter. "How are you feeling sweetie?"

"Fine," she responded automatically. He sighed. She kept her attention focused on the TV, trying her best to avoid him. He knew this would happen as soon as he saw Judy in the hallway.

"I told you there would come a time when God tested this family," he told her. "I was just trying to keep you safe," he took a seat next to her. He reached out and grabbed her hand, but she pulled away from him.

"By lying to me?" she asked.

"You don't know the vile influence your mother is," he told her. "She corrupted our family. I couldn't let her hurt you when you were so fragile."

"By telling me she was dead?" Lucy asked. "How is that less hurtful?"

"You don't remember the trouble she brought. Forgetting is a gift from God and now you're throwing it away."

"By wanting to know my mother?" Lucy demanded.

"You don't understand," he insisted. "She hurt us both so bad. When you came back to me I swore a vow to God to not let her hurt you again."

"How?" Lucy demanded. "How did she hurt me?"

"She took you away from me," he nearly shouted. Lucy flinched and he backed down.

"She told me she loved me," Lucy said quietly.

"I love you," Russel countered. "I've been taking care of you since your accident. Your mother would be disgusted by you."

"No," Lucy said hesitantly. Russel smiled, hearing the doubt in her voice. He didn't want to hurt her, but he needed to create distance between them. It was the only way to keep Lucy safe.

"She might love you, but she won't want to be around you. Can you really blame her? You are a disgrace. You are completely helpless. You can't even get out of bed on your own."

"That's not my fault," Lucy whispered, her eyes tearing up at his words.

"She won't care about that," he told her harshly. "Once she knows what a wreck you are she won't want to be within five miles of you."

"That's not true," she said uncertainly. The nurse frowned, moving forward to stop his verbal abuse.

"Then tell her. Tell her why you haven't left the house by yourself in over seven years. Tell her how you can't even dress yourself. Tell her you need help with everything." He frowned when the nurse held her hand up in warning.

"I think you need to leave now, Sir," she said tensely. He glared, but got to his feet. Lucy was crying openly now, his words having the desired effect on her.

"I love you despite all of these things," he said softly, reaching out to grab her hand again. This time she didn't pull away. "If you have so much faith in your mother, tell her your challenges and see if she stays like I will."

"Mr. Fabray," her nurse said again. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss before heading to the door.

"I'll be back later Lucy," he promised, then went in for the kill. "Tell your mother that you wear a diaper and see how long she sticks around." Lucy sobbed louder and he stepped out of the room. He was confident his latest plan to keep Judy away would work. And while he didn't particularly like hurting his daughter like that, he realized as soon as he saw his wife he would need to tell Lucy something. What better way to handle the situation, than making his wife into the bad guy while breaking Lucy's newly found confidence and defiant behavior at the same time. Lucy would hate her mother and return to him, and together they would prove their worth to God.

* * *

"Is she awake?" Judy asked as she approached her daughter's room. She came by earlier only to find her daughter taking advantage of an afternoon nap, her dog curled up under the bed.

"She is," her nurse said solemnly as she approached, "but I should warn you. Mr. Fabray just left a few minutes ago."

"What did he do?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"He said some pretty hurtful things to her." Judy winced and closed her eyes.

"I should report him."

"I already have," the nurse assured her. "I wouldn't talk to my worst enemy the way he talked to his own child. It was reprehensible."

"How did she take it?"

"She's pretty upset," her nurse admitted. "I thought she was going to crawl underneath the bed with the dog again, but he somehow knew she needed him and jumped up on the bed. I haven't had the heart to move him either." Judy glanced through the window. Sure enough, Tobey was stretched out the length of the bed, his head laying on her stomach. Lucy was absently scratching his head, but she was also staring off into space. Judy immediately recognized it as her deep thinking pose. Unwilling to disturb her daughter if she was lost in thought, Judy knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in," Lucy called out. Judy stepped through, the nurse following her. "Hey mom," Lucy greeted.

"How did you know it was me?" Judy asked, stepping to the foot of the bed. Lucy continued to stare straight ahead, but Tobey shifted, watching her intently.

"Your perfume," Lucy answered. "It's very distinctive." Judy instinctively raised her wrist to her nose and sniffed.

"Is it too much?" she asked. Lucy shook her head.

"No. It's just right." They sat in silence for a minute before Judy took a deep breath.

"I heard your father visited you."

"Yeah," Lucy said dejectedly, looking down. Judy could feel the mood shift.

"I don't know what he said," Judy started, but Lucy interrupted her.

"He said you would be disgusted with me." She said it quietly, but Judy heard it loud and clear.

"That's not true," Judy said quickly, heading over to the chair near the bed. She reached her hand out next to Lucy's, leaving the choice of actually grabbing it to her daughter. Lucy stiffened at the contact, but made no move to take her hand. "I love you. I will always love you." She waited for Lucy to say something. She could see her daughter debating with herself. Eventually she turned her head toward her mother.

"Even if I can't do a lot of things by myself?" she asked quietly. She looked down in shame. Judy put a finger underneath Lucy's chin, forcing her head up.

"None of that matters to me. I love you and I'll never let you go again."

"Even if I can't take care of myself?" Lucy asked hesitantly.

"Even then," Judy assured her, moving her hand back to Lucy's. This time Lucy took it, holding on tightly.

"I can't get out of bed on my own," she admitted shamefully. "I can't dress myself. I can barely get around the house in my chair. I can't do anything on my own. I have trouble remembering things and sometimes I just can't understand, even if it's explained to me over and over again."

"I don't care about any of that." Judy reached over with her free hand and tentative ran her fingers through Lucy's brown hair. "I love you and that will never change." Lucy looked down again.

"I have to wear a diaper." She squeezed Judy's hand tightly as she whispered it, afraid that Russel would be right and her mother would be disgusted by this piece of information.

"Quinn," Judy sighed, then frowned. "Sorry. Lucy. It doesn't matter to me. I wouldn't care if you met a sea witch and were turned into a sea slug and had to live in the bottom of the ocean. You're my daughter and I love you no matter what." She was unprepared when Lucy threw herself into her mother's arms and almost overbalanced, but a second later she was gripping her daughter tightly. They both had tears running down their eyes.

"Thank you," Lucy kept repeating over and over. Judy murmured nonsense words as they both let their feelings out. Finally, Lucy pulled away, wiping her eyes awkwardly and reaching out to scratch behind Tobey's eyes. "Can I ask you something?" she started uncertainly.

"Of course," Judy told her. "You can ask me anything."

"Why do you sometimes call me Quinn? The others do that too and I can't figure out why."

"Do you remember anything from before the accident?" Judy asked. Lucy shook her head. "Did your father tell you anything about your life from before the accident?" Lucy scrunched her eyes up in thought before shaking her head.

"He said the accident was God's way of punishing him. He said he started veering away from the church so God punished him by taking me away. He said I didn't remember anything because that was God's way of granting me a fresh start when he was finally forgiven." Judy closed her eyes in anger.

"That is not true," she said. "It was a horrible accident, but it wasn't God punishing you. I want you to understand that." Lucy nodded, but Judy knew she really didn't believe her and was just humoring her. You can't unlearn everything you know in just a few days. "And I want you to understand something else. I know your father loves you, and he was trying to protect you in his own way, but he never should have lied to you. He should have been honest and upfront about everything. I promise I will always be honest, even if it's something painful and I wish I could spare you the pain. There are some things in your past I might think you're not ready for, and I'll tell you if I think that, but I will never lie to you. I promise."

"Thank you," Lucy said, grateful beyond words that she wasn't being coddled like a child. "Now about my name?" Judy chuckled.

"Your full name is Lucy Quinn Fabray," she explained. "Your father got a promotion at work, but we had to move to a little town in Ohio called Lima. It was the summer before freshman year in high school. When we moved, you changed a lot of things about yourself. You dyed your hair blonde, joined the cheerleading squad, and asked to go by your middle name. Quinn. You said you wanted to be a new person for a new place."

"I must have been horrible before." Judy laughed.

"You were a teenager. I think that says it all." Lucy chuckled. "I don't think you were unhappy, you just wanted to try something new. And it worked so well for you it just stuck."

"Quinn," she said, trying it out. "All my friends call me that."

"They never knew you as Lucy," she explained, "so it might take them a bit more time. But we can call you whatever makes you comfortable."

"Maybe you can try both and I can see which one feels more like me?" Lucy suggested.

"I think that's a marvelous idea," Judy agreed. They both fell into comfortable silence, but Judy could see Lucy thinking again.

"You said you would never leave me again?" Lucy asked suddenly.

"I did."

"What do you mean again?" Judy sighed.

"A few years before your accident you made a mistake. Your father kicked you out of the house, and I stood by and did nothing."

"Why?"

"I'm ashamed to admit it, but I have a problem. I'm an alcoholic. Do you know what that means?" Lucy nodded. "I realized I had a problem when your father kicked you out. I got help and eventually kicked him out. You came back home and it was better. Not great, but we were both trying. I would still have an occasional drink, and you still would ignore me some days, but we were slowly getting our relationship back on track."

"Do you still drink?" Lucy asked. Russel rarely over indulged any more, but whenever he did, it always scared Lucy immensely. Judy shook her head.

"I haven't had a drink since the night you disappeared," she said proudly. "You saved me, even when you weren't there." Lucy smiled brightly, which turned into a yawn. "I brought you something," Judy said suddenly, pawing through her bag until she found the shopping bags. She handed them to Lucy.

"Clothes?" she asked uncertainly.

"Sweats and T-shirts," Judy told her. "Nothing too fancy, and I had to guess at the sizes. You've lost so much weight. But I know you don't like hospital gowns and I got the okay from Dr. Mathison." Lucy looked close to tears. "I'm sorry," Judy said, reaching out to take them back. "You don't have to wear them. I just thought you might be more comfortable."

"No," Lucy said, holding onto the clothes tightly. "I want them. I just never thought anyone would be so kind to me." She looked uncertain. "Can you help me change?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Judy said. The nurse nodded, moving over to close the blinds and stand by the door, but she didn't interfere as Judy helped her daughter out of her hospital gown and into some bed clothes. Judy could feel the tears start as she got her first look at her daughter's bare skin and the many scars that now adorned it, but she forced herself to remain cheerful for Lucy's sake. Lucy could tell that her mother was upset though, and after she had changed she deliberately laid back down on the bed.

"I'm kinda tired," she said, faking a yawn.

"Of course," Judy said. "I'm kinda tired too. Besides visiting hours are almost over. But I'd like to come and see you again tomorrow if that's okay?"

"Yes," Lucy immediately answered, only for a real yawn to break through. "Sorry. Guess I'm more than a little tired."

"That's okay sweetie," Judy said, leaning over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Lucy said reverently. "Bye mom." Judy forced her smile to stay on until she heard the door click behind her. Only then did she let her tears fall.


	8. Chapter 8

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Knock knock." Lucy looked up at the unfamiliar voice.

"Umm," she started uncertainly. "Hi."

"Your mom said you were bored and needed some distracting." Lucy heard the screech as chairs were moved closer to the bed.

"Do I know you?" she asked hesitantly.

"Your words wound me, Q." Lucy smiled at the abrupt answer. "But I know you've been pretty overwhelmed these last couple of days, so I'll let this one slide. I'm Santana and I'm your best friend. And how could you ever forget your other best friend, Brittany."

"Hi," someone leaned over and gave Lucy a quick hug. "Your mom said we should call you both Lucy and Quinn, but that sounds really confusing. What if I forget who you're supposed to be when I'm talking to you?" Lucy smiled.

"It's okay," she said to her visitors, "you can just call me Quinn. Mom has been doing that and I'm kinda liking it."

"Good," Santana barked, putting her feet up on the bed, "cause L just doesn't have the same ring to it." They watched as Lucy's face fell. "You okay? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she assured them distractedly. "It's just I'm confused."

"I get confused all the time," Brittany said. "San helps me figure things out. Maybe we can do the same for you." Lucy smiled again.

"I can't remember you, but this talk feels familiar. It's like I remember the feeling, but I have no idea what feeling it is I'm feeling. Does that make sense?"

"Actually, it does," Santana said. "Because we're so awesome you couldn't forget us completely." Lucy snorted.

"Sorry."

"It's okay," Brittany reassured her. Lucy stiffened in surprise when Brittany started climbing into bed with her, but relaxed at the reassuring feeling this gave her. "You can always create new memories with us, so if you can never find your old ones you will still remember."

"That sounds fun," Lucy said. "So, what do you want to do?" She suddenly became hesitant. She couldn't do much on her own and didn't want to disappoint these two girls.

"Don't sweat it," Santana told her. "We brought all the stuff for mani pedi's."

"What?" Lucy asked, confused by the term. Santana rolled her eyes as she got to her feet.

"We're gonna paint your nails," Brittany explained while Santana got the stuff ready. Lucy suddenly felt apprehensive. Her nails were ragged and uneven and she subconsciously hid them beneath the blanket.

"None of that," Santana said, pulling Lucy's hands back out. "We've seen worse. We gave Zizes a manicure. I swear she still had dried blood under her nails."

"We'll also do your toenails," Brittany said, sliding out of the bed. "Any particular color?" Lucy shook her head as she felt them each take a hand. They mindlessly talked as they worked, Lucy contributing as she got more and more comfortable. By the time they were on her toes they were all laughing and joking.

"Are you girls having fun?" Judy asked an hour later when she came to visit her daughter.

"Yeah," Lucy said. "What are we doing again?"

"Mani pedi's," Santana told her again. "And when we're done we are going to work on fashion."

"What's wrong with it?" Lucy asked.

"I haven't seen fashion that bad since Berry and her animal sweaters."

"But my father always said," Lucy started but she was interrupted.

"Stop," Santana ordered. "Never start a sentence with 'my father said'. It will never end well." Lucy frowned.

"Your father doesn't know fashion Quinn," Brittany said.

"It's not like I know any different," Lucy said. "I can't even see what I'm wearing."

"That was fine when you were by yourself," Santana told her, "but you're with us now. We can't have you dragging down our image, so we have to raise yours." Lucy frowned, thinking about what her friend said, before shrugging.

"Whatever you say," she said, "but if I don't like what you're doing to me, I'm going to forget this conversation and go back to my way of dressing." Everyone laughed at that as they finished Lucy's pedicure. When they were done, Lucy got a big smile on her face.

"I knew you'd like this," Brittany said, smiling as big as Lucy.

"No," she shook her head, then realized how that sounded. "I mean, this has been great, but that's not why I'm smiling."

"Why?" Santana asked suspiciously.

"Tobey." Brittany looked as excited as Lucy when the dog came around the corner a few minutes later.

"Am I interrupting?" Nathan asked, looking between the women. Tobey had jumped on the bed. Brittany had followed him and he was soon basking in the attention.

"No," Lucy said, as Tobey jumped back down. "Did you bring it?"

"Kinda," he said, pulling out a huge book from his backpack and handing it to her. Everyone watched as her fingers grazed the cover.

"A textbook?" she asked. He shrugged.

"It was the only book I had," he told her. "I tried going to the house to get more of your things, but your father is being extremely unreasonable right now. I can order more, but it will be a while for them to get here. So it's a textbook or watching paint dry."

"I think I'll take the textbook," she said, putting the large book on the bed beside her.

"Think of it this way," he suggested, trying to put a positive spin on everything, "with nothing else to do you might actually make it through this time."

"I've read it cover to cover," she objected. "I just can't understand."

"What is it?" Brittany asked, looking at the book curiously.

"The revolting war?" Lucy said unsurely.

"Revolutionary," Nathan corrected, "but you were close."

"I can never understand or remember it," she admitted. Brittany nodded.

"Tell me about it. It's so confusing. The rebels keep talking about redcoats, but then why don't they just take their coats off and all be friends." Brittany frowned in confusion while Judy and Santana shared an amused look.

"You're pretty smart," Lucy said. "Do you remember who wins that war?"

"Now now," Nathan stepped in. "We don't want to ruin the ending."

"You're gonna make me read aren't you," Lucy asked, already reaching for her textbook. Brittany reluctantly passed it over.

"I promised you we would get this one down," he told her. "Why not now? Do you have anything better to do?"

"I'm trying to spend time with my friends," she said, disbelievingly. "I can't believe I had friends."

"You have friends Q," Santana said, "and you spend time with people you don't like. You hang with friends. And when you hang it doesn't matter what we do, just that we do it together."

"Even if I'm reading a textbook?" Lucy asked.

"I'm reading a magazine," Santana answered, flipping the pages loudly to make her point. "It doesn't matter what you're reading."

"I would love to see you read," Brittany said. "How do you read a book with no words?"

"It's the bumps," Lucy explained, grabbing the blonde's hand and placing them in the correct position. "You move your hand over and the bumps make words." She slowly moved Brittany's hand.

"It tickles," Brittany said a few minutes later. Lucy loosened her grip and Brittany pulled her hand away. "Now your turn," she said. Lucy sighed but pulled the book toward her. The room turned silent as they all watched her read, not that she noticed. Twenty minutes later she put it back down.

"You okay Lucy?" Nathan asked. She pushed the book away for a minute, rubbing her temples with her hands.

"Yeah," she nodded. "Just a bit of a headache." Nathan looked around.

"I'll close the blinds." He did and a few minutes later she picked up the book again.

"I thought you couldn't see?" Santana accused.

"I can't," Lucy told them, "but I'm very sensitive to light, especially the sun."

"I tried to find your shades when I went to your house, but your father is hoarding them too."

"I can get the nurse to bring you something for your headache," Judy offered. Lucy's eyes got wide.

"But I haven't done anything to deserve it," she said, confused.

"You shouldn't need to earn pain relief," Judy told her, silently cursing Russel. "There's no reason for you to be in pain. Especially when it's such a simple fix."

"Don't worry about it. It's better now that the shades are down." Everyone nodded as Lucy picked up her book again. A few minutes later she finished the chapter.

"Okay. Who fought in the revolutionary war?" Nathan asked. Lucy thought hard.

"England and America," she answered. "But America wasn't America yet."

"That's right. America was just a colony of England back then. The colonist were fighting for their independence. But they weren't by themselves. Who was on the colonist's side?" Lucy scrunched up her eyes.

"France?" she asked.

"Right. You're doing really well Lucy," Nathan congratulated and encouraged her. Usually when he did this she would smile at him, but right now she just bowed her head, rubbing her temples again, this time with both hands. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she replied, distractedly. She put her hands down and looked up.

"Okay," he said, watching her closely. "On one side we have the American Colonies who have help from France. But England has help too. Who are some of England's allies?"

"The unholy trinity," Lucy said quietly. She squeezed her eyes shut in pain, cradling her head in her hands and falling back onto the bed.

"I'm sure some of their allies were unsavory, but I've never heard of them referred to as that." He tried to make a joke but nobody was paying him any attention. The women were staring at Lucy in disbelief. Lucy had pulled herself into a ball and was rocking gently in the bed. He reached out a hand. "Are you sure you're okay Lucy?"

"Quinn," she growled from the bed. "My name is Quinn." She continued rocking, her eyes scrunched in obvious pain. Judy reached out a hand, but withdrew when Lucy flinched violently. Judy quickly flagged down her doctor.

"Lucy?" he asked as he stepped up to examine her. She batted his hands away. He turned to the nurse. "Prepare a sedative."

"Yes doctor," she said, returning a moment later and passing him the syringe.

"Help me hold her down," the doctor said, but as they reached for her, Lucy suddenly became limp. The nurse quickly took the syringe back as the doctor reached for Lucy again. He pulled out his stethoscope and listened while her nurse checked her pulse. He nodded to the nurse, and together they were able to uncurl Lucy and get her comfortable.

"What happened?" Judy demanded when he draped the stethoscope around his neck.

"She passed out," he told them, "but she's stable. She's resting comfortably." He turned to the women. "Any idea what brought this on?"

"She was remembering," Santana said in shock. "She remembered the unholy trinity."

"The what?" Dr. Mathison asked. Santana shook her head to clear it.

"The unholy trinity," she repeated. "It's what Me, Brit, and Quinn were called in high school. She was reading and she just said it."

"Reading?" He asked. Brittany nodded.

"About the revolutionary war," Santana told him. "One of the first things we did as the unholy trinity was help Britt study for the revolutionary war."

"Reading about the revolutionary war combined with your presence probably triggered a memory," he told them. "But she was overwhelmed by it. That's why she fainted."

"What does that mean?" Judy asked, reaching over and subconsciously grabbing her daughter's hand. "Does that mean she'll remember everything?" The doctor sighed.

"It's not my area of expertise," he warned them, "and I'm not too proud to admit it. I'd like to bring in a specialist." Judy nodded her consent. Dr. Mathison made some notations in Lucy's chart before turning to Judy. "We have some things we need to discuss regarding your daughter."

* * *

Lucy woke up to an unfamiliar sensation. She slowly opened her eyes as she tried to figure out what was different. "Quinn?"

"Mom?" she asked, voice thick with sleep. She tried to rub her eyes when she realized what was different. Her hand was encased in another. Judy squeezed briefly, then made to let go only to find Lucy gripped her hand tighter.

"Don't," she said. "It's nice." Judy smiled.

"How are you feeling Quinn?" Lucy frowned.

"Tired," she started. "Why are you calling me Quinn? My name is Lucy." Judy's smile fell.

"Do you remember what happened?" She asked calmly. Lucy furrowed her forehead.

"I was reading," she said hesitantly. "Then nothing. I don't even know what I read."

"This," Judy said, handing the textbook to her daughter. Lucy felt it for a minute before laughing.

"Figures. I can never seem to get through this one." Judy squeezed her hand once more before pulling away. Lucy was startled, but calmed immediately when Tobey stuck his nose in her hand. "Tobey."

"We've been getting to know each other," Judy said, absently scratching the dog behind the ears. She would have never thought she would be comfortable around dogs again, but Tobey was patient with her.

"Why?" Lucy asked with childlike innocence.

"You're getting released tomorrow," Judy said, "and we need to figure out where you're going to go. If you're going to come live with me I assumed you would want Tobey to come too." Instead of cheering up at the thought like Judy thought she would, Lucy instead grew dejected. "Quinn?"

"Are you going to take me away?" she asked. "They said you live in Ohio. I've never been there. I don't even know where there is."

"You actually grew up there," Judy told her. "That's where you had your accident." Lucy looked thoughtful.

"But father said the accident happened here, in New York City," she argued. "He said I never even wanted to leave the city." Judy growled quietly.

"Quinn," she started, only to backtrack. "Lucy. Listen to me carefully." She waited a few minutes until she was certain she had her full attention. "Your father loves you, but he made some very bad choices when you had your accident. He didn't choose what was best for you. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Lucy looked thoughtful.

"He always chooses what is right for me," she defended him.

"No," she countered. "He chooses what is right for him. What makes him look best." She reached out and grabbed her hands.

"He loves me," she whispered.

"He does," she told her, "but he hasn't been a very good parent. Being a good parent means doing what is best for your child, no matter the consequences to you." She paused for a second to let that sink in. "Which is why I'm looking for a place in the city. So you don't have to leave the only place you've ever known."

"What?" Lucy asked amazed. "You'd do that for me? You don't even know me."

"I don't need to know you," she said. "You're my daughter and I love you. I would do anything for you." Lucy smiled, tears in her eyes. "But it might take me a little while to find an appropriate place and we need to discuss what to do until then." Lucy's face fell.

"Am I going back to father?" she asked quietly.

"No!" Judy almost yelled. She took a few deep breaths to calm down. "Lucy. I need to ask you a question and I need you to be completely honest with me." Lucy nodded her head. "After the accident, did you go to any rehabilitation hospital?"

"It's fuzzy right after the accident," she admitted. "But I remember going to Morningside. They helped me cope with my limits."

"What do you mean?" She asked. Lucy shrugged.

"They taught me what I wouldn't be able to do anymore," she explained, "so that I wouldn't hurt myself trying something I couldn't do." Judy growled again, this time loud enough for Lucy to hear. Lucy raised her eyebrow. The gesture was so familiar it physically pained her mother.

"That's what Russel wanted them to teach you," Judy explained, "so that you would be dependent on him. It was a way to control you."

"I don't understand," Lucy said, confused. Judy shook her head.

"I'll explain later," she promised. "Dr. Mathison and I were talking about your options. He recommends sending you to a rehabilitation hospital."

"Like Morningside?" She asked.

"No. Morningside was chosen to limit you. I want to send you somewhere where they will help you overcome your physical limitations. I want you to be able to get out of bed by yourself and dress yourself. Have as much independence as you are able."

"I could do things on my own?" she asked, as if the concept was foreign to her. "I could maybe even leave the house on my own?"

"I hope so," Judy answered honestly, "but you need help. More help than I can give you. You need to relearn how to do things. A rehabilitation hospital helps with that. You should have gone to one right after your accident, but your father had other ideas."

"So where are you sending me?" Lucy asked, dejected. She could hear her father's words echoing in her mind. Her mother was sending her away, just like he said she would.

"I'm not sending you anywhere Lucy," Judy said. "I thought we could talk about it, and together we could make the best decision for you."

"And if I don't want to go?" she asked hopefully. She cringed after she said it. She never would have dared talk to her father like this.

"Then you'll come live with me," Judy told her, squeezing her hand calmly. "Though it isn't very glamorous right now. We'd have to live in a hotel for a while."

"Why?" Lucy asked.

"I'm living with a friend while I look for something in the city, and she barely has enough room for me. But I can find a hotel that will work." Lucy thought for a minute.

"What if I don't like the hospital?" she asked.

"Then I will come and get you that same day," Judy reassured her, "but you should know the hospital is going to be hard work. And it's going to be painful."

"Why?" Quinn asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Dr. Mathison said your muscles had atrophied. Do you know what that means?" Lucy shook her head. "It means your muscles are asleep. If you don't use your muscles for a long time, they start to waste away."

"So I don't have any anymore?" Lucy asked. Judy chuckled.

"You still have them," she told her daughter, "it's just going to take a lot of work to wake them up. Then it will take a lot of work to get them back into shape. It's a very hard and painful process."

"But then I'll be able to do things myself?"

"I hope so, but there's no guarantee. The staff will try their best, but a lot of what you will and won't be able to do depends on which muscles we can get working again. And we won't know that until we start working them."

"So it could all be for nothing," she said, looking down at her hands. "Will Tobey be able to come? Nathan said he can't keep him for much longer. His roommate is allergic."

"No sweetie," Judy told her. "But he can come stay with me. I promise I'll take good care of him.

"Will you stay with me?" Lucy asked shyly.

"I wish I could baby. But I promise to come visit you. Every day if you want."

"Do you want me to go?" Lucy asked in a small voice. Judy reached over and pulled her into her arms.

"I never want to let you go," she admitted, "but I also want what is the best for you. And I think this is the best."

"Okay," Lucy reluctantly agreed. "I'll go and I'll try my best."

"That's all I ever wanted," Judy said as she held her daughter close.

"Mom?" Lucy asked uncertainly.

"Yeah?"

"Can I do something before I go? Just in case you forget about me?"

"I will never forget about you," Judy told her, "but we can do whatever you want to do?" Lucy raised up her hand.

"Can I feel your face?" she asked. Judy nodded before remembering Lucy couldn't see. She grabbed her daughter's hand and gently moved it to her own face. She closed her eyes, not even trying to stop her tears as Lucy's fingertips brushed across her features. Finally, Lucy let her hand drop. "Thank you." Judy tried to reciprocate, but couldn't form any words and instead simply held her daughter until she fell asleep. She reluctantly let go and quietly left the room.

"Tobey," she whispered quietly at the door. The dog glanced at Lucy once more before padding after her.

"I can take him," Nathan offered, closing the book he was reading. Judy dropped her hand, unconsciously rubbing his head.

"What are your intentions toward my daughter?" she asked suddenly. Nathan froze.

"Wow," he said after a second.

"What?"

"Nothing," he dismissed, "it's just I've been working with Lucy for a few months now and Mr. Fabray has never asked me that question. It's just strange seeing a parent actually care about her."

"I love her," Judy replied simply, "so you can see how it's important that she doesn't get hurt. So I'll ask again. What are your intentions toward my daughter?"

"I love her," he admitted, holding his hands up when she started to intervene. "Like she is my sister." Judy relaxed at that. "I only want what is best for her."

"How did you two meet?" Judy asked, coming over and taking the seat next to him.

"Through Russel actually," he told her. "I'm in law school and am interning at The Walden Group. He heard I needed some extra money and asked if I could tutor. The rest is history."

"I'll admit, I've been wondering why he would do something like that?" she thought out loud. "I doubt he did it for Lucy, but I can't see what he would have to gain."

"I think he has an ulterior motive," he admitted, "but I can't figure out what it is either." They were silent for a few minutes.

"I think it's time for a parent teacher conference," Judy announced. Nathan looked confused. "How else am I going to help my daughter if I don't talk to her teacher?"

"I'm not her teacher anymore," Nathan said, a bit of hope in his voice.

"I know. He fired you." Nathan shrugged. "It so happens I might be in the market for a tutor. Know any good ones?"

"Really?" he asked, not daring to hope. Sure, he had been joking about it earlier with Lucy, but he never really thought it could happen.

"If you're interested," Judy said, "and since you've been by every day, even though you were fired, I'm pretty sure you're interested."

"Of course. Thank you." Nathan reached over and extended his hand. Judy shook it. "When do you want me to start?" Judy sighed.

"There's so many things we need to figure out first," she admitted. "Russel screwed her over in so many ways."

"I'm sorry," he told her. "I tried to help her, but it didn't work out very well."

"It's not your fault," she reassured him. "The only one to blame is Russel. And I've seen the way she lights up when you're in the room. You're her best friend right now. Just keep doing that and everything will work out fine."

"Thanks," he said, smiling at her before glancing at his watch. "I have to go. I have an early class." He turned to the dog and got the leash ready. "Tobey." Judy watched as he effortlessly leashed the dog.

"Lucy said you needed to find someplace else for Tobey?" Judy inquired. Nathan nodded.

"My roommate is allergic to dogs," he explained. "He's been grinning and bearing it the last few days, knowing how much Tobey means to Lucy and everything that's been going on here, but it's getting to the point where he can't breathe. I don't know how much longer I can keep him. I really don't want Russel to get his hands on him." Judy nodded.

"That wouldn't be good," she agreed. "I'm staying with a friend of mine while I look for a place. Maybe we can take him? Or her friends? If nothing else I'll check into a pet friendly hotel with him." Nathan grinned at her. "What? Do I have something in my teeth?"

"No, but you are kinda amazing. I see where Lucy gets her compassion from. Can I hug you?"

"I'd love that." No sooner did she finish the sentence then she found herself in a giant bear hug.

"Goodnight Mrs. Fabray," Nathan said a minute later when he finally pulled away. "Come on Tobey."

"Night," she shouted after him, smiling at the young man as she gathered her coat. She talked with Dr. Mathison for a few minutes before slowly making her way back to Rachel's.

* * *

AN: I usually wait and save my comments for the end, but I thought I would interject now that we have a good chunk of the story under our belts. This is my first try writing for Glee. Glee has a huge cast, which is one of the things I really didn't like about it after season 3. In my opinion, they should have either stayed with the original cast after they graduated, or stuck with High School and the new kids. I think it was wrong to try to do both. I am choosing to stick with the main group as they start their life in New York. Other members of Glee will come and go as the story progresses, just like in real life, but the main focus will be the New York group.

I usually try to keep as close to the canon characters as possible, but I am deliberately choosing to ignore the whole Brittany going to MIT arc, because that never made any sense to me. I'm also ignoring the Rachel Berry TV project. I don't see her friends ever letting her throw her dreams away for something that stupid, and even if she ignored them, I don't see Finn letting her do that. I also don't see them letting her drop out of school.

Finn is another character that I am slightly changing. I absolutely hated High School Finn. I thought he was self-centered and arrogant, definitely more interested in his own popularity than the feelings of others. But when he came back as a teacher, I absolutely loved him. Once he stopped caring what everyone thought of him and focused on the people around him, I thought he turned into a pretty decent guy. I'm continuing that decent guy trend up to New York.

I think I did a good job keeping the rest of the characters in character. Judy and Russel Fabray were the only ones I really changed. Russel is definitely the bad guy, because I needed him to be, but I don't think he sees himself as the bad guy. He has justified everything that he does to his daughter in his mind, which is scarier than just saying he's crazy.

I took a lot of liberties with Judy. All that Glee ever showed was she took Quinn back in after throwing Russel out, and she was there for Quinn's graduation. That gave me a lot of room to work with. First of, I don't think she is mother of the year by any stretch of the imagination, but she tried to be there for her daughter, which is more than some people. I think she grew a lot while Quinn was gone, wanting to be someone Quinn was proud of in case her daughter ever did come home.

Enough of my ramblings. I hope you enjoyed the insight to the characters. Feel free to tell me to shut up and start writing again. And the next couple of chapters will be up in a few days.


	9. Chapter 9

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Grandma!" She found herself being hugged by an energetic nine-year-old.

"Beth," she said, reaching down and hugging the young girl tight.

"Look what I made for you in art class." Beth squirmed out of her arms and ran into the kitchen, coming back a minute later with a picture. "That's me and mommy. And that's you. I drew you by us, since you've been staying with us for so long. Are you gonna stay forever?"

"No Beth," she explained again. "I'm only staying with you while I look for a place of my own. But I might stay in New York for a bit, even after I have my own place."

"Yay!" Beth squealed with excitement. "Can we go to the zoo? Aunt Brittany says there are penguins there. Can we go see them?"

"Maybe soon," she told her granddaughter. "Why don't you go make a list of everything you want to do and we'll see how much we can get done."

"Okay." She raced back into the kitchen and pulled a new piece of paper out of her backpack. Judy watched her for a minute before turning to the expectant faces. She knew everyone would be waiting for her to get back, but she wasn't expecting Shelby and Beth, and their presence was throwing her off.

"She doesn't remember," she said simply. Everyone sighed dejectedly. After Lucy passed out, Santana and Brittany were forced to leave. As Judy suspected, they told everyone about their encounter. "Dr. Mathison thinks her mind reset as much as her body did. It was just too much at once."

"So what do we do?" Rachel asked.

"She agreed to try the rehab hospital. Dr. Mathison is making arrangements to move her tomorrow. He said they limit the number of visitors to two, except for family. That will give us time to figure something out. And it will give me time to look for a place."

"Judy," Rachel piped up. "I have a proposition for you."

* * *

"Hey Lucy," Judy greeted a few days later. Lucy smiled.

"Hey mom. Look." Judy watched as Lucy sat up in bed and carefully pulled herself to the edge. She spent a minute getting her wheelchair into position before connecting them with a wide, flat board. Once she was satisfied, she slowly scooted herself across the board into the chair. She spent a few minutes arranging her legs before pulling the board away. She looked up, grinning hugely. "I can get out of bed myself."

"That's wonderful sweetie," Judy praised.

"And it's only been a few days," Lucy continued. "Adam says I'm a natural. And Megan has so many tips for me. Stuff that I've never even thought of." Judy smiled at her.

"I'm glad this place is helping," she told her daughter. She watched as Lucy pulled the board back and got back into the bed. Lucy fussed with the covers for a minute, frowning. "What is it sweetie?"

"I'm confused," she said after a minute.

"About what?" Lucy looked down, her fingers absently playing with the blanket.

"Daddy," she reluctantly admitted. "He said I would never be able to do anything by myself, but I can already move from the bed to the chair and it's only been a few days. Adam says I can do almost everything. Maybe even walk." Judy gasped at that, but Lucy didn't hear her. "Why would daddy say those things to me?"

"I don't know baby," she admitted, moving onto the bed and engulfing her daughter in a one arm hug.

"Why would he lie to me?" Lucy asked, tears forming in her eyes. Judy hugged her tighter. "Does he not love me?"

"He does," she reassured her before sighing. "Your father likes being in control. And he likes perfection, especially in the public image he portrays. I don't know why he told you those things, but I think it was a way to control you." Lucy thought hard for a minute.

"But if he's so concerned about image, wouldn't he want me as normal as possible?"

"I think obedience would be more important to him right now," she admitted. "I know you don't remember, but you two had a huge falling out a few years before your accident."

"When I made a mistake?" Lucy asked.

"Yes," Judy told her. Lucy's face scrunched up as she thought hard, trying to dredge up any memories, but eventually she gave up and turned toward her mother.

"What kind of mistake?" she asked. Judy sighed.

"I don't think you're ready for that yet," she said. Lucy huffed but let it go. "The point is he thought he had complete control over you until that night. When he realized he didn't, something snapped inside him. That's when I realized he wasn't the man I married anymore."

"He didn't love me anymore?" Lucy asked.

"I didn't think he did," she admitted. "He never spoke about you, never spoke period. It was like living with a stranger. Then when I finally got enough courage to kick him out, he seemed almost relieved. He never challenged the divorce, not even in regard to you. I haven't even spoken to him since I kicked him out, until a few days ago in the hospital." She pulled her daughter closer.

"I don't know what to think anymore," she said tearfully.

"I'm not telling you these things to turn you against your father," she said. "I just want you to make an informed decision. And I will support whatever you decide."

"Even if I go back to daddy?" Lucy asked. Judy couldn't stop the shudder that ran through her.

"I can't lie and say I think that would be a good thing, but if that's what you really want to do I won't stop you. And I will always love you and support whatever decisions you make." Lucy squeezed her tighter.

"Thank you," she said, "for being honest with me. And for being there for me."

"Always," Judy said. They sat there for a few minutes before Lucy started thinking again. "Lucy?"

"I think," she started hesitantly, before pulling away and facing her mother. "I think I want to try to be Quinn. You said she worked really well for me. And I don't think I want to be Lucy anymore."

"You can be whoever you want to be," Judy smiled at her as a nurse brought in her lunch. "Now I need to go talk to your doctor. I'll be back tomorrow."

"Mom?" a hesitant voice asked. "Are the others coming to visit me? It's been days since I last saw anybody. Did they finally realize what a freak I am and want to stay away?"

"You are not a freak," Judy said sternly. "Dr. Mathison wanted to give you time to adjust to the hospital before being inundated by friends."

"Oh yeah," Quinn said, her face turning red in embarrassment. "I forgot."

"That's okay sweetie," Judy assured her. "Rachel and Santana are about to arm wrestle for the privilege of coming tomorrow." She brightened at this before Judy climbed out of bed. The nurse put her lunch on the table and wheeled it over to the bed. "I'll see you tomorrow Quinnie." She paused at the name, her smile getting even bigger. She left her daughter to her lunch and sought out her doctor.

Quinn had been here for a few days now. The first couple of days the staff had been focused on assessing Quinn's abilities, but by now they should have a much better idea of what she could do. "Mrs. Fabray."

"Dr. Mathison," she greeted. She quickly turned to Quinn's physical therapist. "Why did you tell my daughter she would walk again?" she demanded.

"I told her I thought it was a possibility," he quickly told her in a soothing tone, "and I do."

"Her physical assessment was quite promising," Dr. Mathison added. Judy turned to him.

"I just don't want to give her any false hope," she admitted, her anger deflating somewhat. She turned back to the therapist. "Do you really think she can walk again?"

"I think it's a definite possibility," he told her. "The nerve test was positive. As far as I can tell, the nerves in her legs are working fine. She definitely has feeling in her lower extremities, and although it is inconsistent and sporadic, it is a huge step. The only challenge right now is she has no control, but from what I've been able to gather, she has never tried to control her legs."

"What?" Judy asked. "She's never tried?" Judy looked around at the group of experts.

"She never knew she could," Amanda Evans spoke up. She was the resident psychologist. "As I understand it, Lucy suffered an extreme case of amnesia after the accident."

"Quinn," Judy interrupted. "She wants to go by Quinn now."

"Quinn," Amanda corrected. "The amnesia was both a blessing and a curse. In a way it was good. She didn't suffer any depression normally associated with these types of cases, and adjusted remarkably well simply because she didn't know any different way. At the same time, because she didn't know any differently, she never tried to push herself."

"Exactly what Russel wanted," Judy scathed. "A docile and obedient daughter." She looked at the psychologist. "If Russel was upfront from the beginning, would that have made a difference?"

"It might have," she replied, "but it's a moot point now. There's no sense in talking what ifs." She was quiet for a moment. "The biggest challenge in Quinn's recovery may be Quinn herself. She's too complacent. She accepts what's given to her and doesn't fight and push herself like she'll need to."

"Maybe her friends will help her with that," Judy suggested.

"I hope so," Adam said. "I really want to see her walk out of here."

"Me too," Judy agreed before turning back to Dr. Mathison. "How about her blindness?"

"I'm afraid that's likely to be permanent. The MRI shows irreparable damage to her optic nerve. There's nothing we can do to fix that."

"I understand," Judy said, deflating slightly at the news.

"There's no reason she still can't live a full life," Adam told her. "Megan, our occupational therapist, has already started working with her, teaching her little tricks to help her out. Though she was impressed by how much Quinn already figured out on her own."

"I've already started Quinn on various medications which should help her day to day living," Dr. Mathison told her. "We'll monitor while she's here, just to make sure there are no complications."

"So everything's set?" Judy double checked. Dr. Mathison hesitated.

"There is one more thing," he started. "In the accident, shrapnel was imbedded throughout Quinn's left side. The muscles in her left arm were ripped from her bone. The doctors surgically reattached them, but they didn't heal completely. Dr. Smith recommended an additional surgery to reattach the muscle once more, but Russel elected to not have the surgery. He thought the risk outweighed the reward."

"So, she needs surgery?" Judy asked him.

"She doesn't need it," he elaborated, "but it's an option. Her left arm is weak, but she is still managing. And at this point there is no telling how effective the surgery would be. She could regain full use of her arm but at the same time there could be little to no improvement and all the pain of surgery. I'm just making you aware." Judy nodded.

"Thank you for telling me, but I think we'll just leave it as is for now. I'll talk to Quinn about it and see what she thinks before making a final decision." He nodded before the group broke up, each going their separate way.

* * *

"What's up chica?" Santana asked as she and Rachel made their way into Quinn's room. Quinn's face brightened.

"You came?" she said, almost as if she didn't really think they would.

"Of course," Rachel said, pulling up a chair next to the bed. Santana didn't bother with a chair. She just jumped next to Quinn on the bed. "Did you really think we would abandon you?" Quinn looked down and Santana glared at the diva.

"Don't mind her Q," Santana said. "She's just mad she couldn't bring Finn."

"Why not?" Quinn asked innocently.

"Cause then I couldn't be here," she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "But I wasn't able to bring Brit so I'm pissed too."

"Don't mind her," Rachel said, examining the new room just for something to do. "So, your mom says you want to be called Quinn again? Not Lucy anymore."

"Yeah," she shrugged. "It felt right before." They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a minute.

"Nice room," Santana said, just to break the silence. "You've got a nice view out the window."

"I wouldn't know," Quinn replied.

"Shit. I'm sorry," Santana immediately apologized.

"Why?" Quinn asked.

"Because it was insensitive to point out your disability," Rachel answered. "Santana regularly causes discomfort in others in order to boost her self-esteem."

"Hey!" the Latina protested. "I may have done that in High School, but I haven't purposely caused discomfort to others for five years."

"Except to me," Rachel added. Santana growled.

"Well, you're special." They were about to continue when Quinn burst into laughter.

"Are you two always like this?" she asked, laughing so hard her ribs started hurting. "It's like listening to a comedy tag team." The two girls glared at her before laughing at themselves. Soon none of them could breathe from laughing so hard. It took a minute for them to calm down.

"Sorry," Santana said when she could talk again. "I didn't mean to insult you or anything. I just always tell it like it is. I keep it real and old Quinn would have known that."

"It's okay," she assured them. "It's kinda nice not having people pity me. I never hid my blindness, daddy made it a point to tell everyone who met me, but they were always so awkward and careful around me. I don't want it to be like that with you guys."

"And it won't," Rachel agreed, "but we're getting to know you just like you're getting to know us. There's bound to be a few bumps in the road." Quinn nodded. "How about we take you for a walk outside. There's an amazing garden where we can soak up the sunshine for a bit."

"Sure," Quinn agreed, reaching for her chair. "I just need to be back for PT."

"What time?" Santana asked, jumping out of bed and moving the chair closer to Quinn's searching fingers. They watched as she got the chair into position and transferred by herself. "You're getting good at that."

"Three," Quinn said as she put the board carefully in its spot by the bed, "but I have no idea what time it is."

"It's just after one," Rachel said, glancing at her watch. "We've got plenty of time." They watched as Quinn got herself situated. "Do you need a hand or can you go tearing down the hallways on your own."

"I need a hand," Quinn said, but she was grinning when she said it. Nothing like before when she would ask for help with downcast eyes. Santana grabbed the handles and they started down the hallway, talking about everything and nothing just like they did in High School.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: I would like to point out once more I have no medical training at all. Everything is based on old episodes of ER.

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

The next few weeks passed quickly for Quinn. She tried her best, but no matter how hard she worked she just couldn't get her legs to move. Adam did exercises with her twice a day. At first her muscles burned, which they assured her was a good sign, but she still had no control. Once the burning stopped, they continued working her legs, but she still had no control. She was getting frustrated and her team could tell, but instead of focusing on what she couldn't control, Quinn put all her energy into what she could.

She no longer needed any help getting ready or moving between the bed and chair. She was even working on her arm strength and could move through the hallways on her own. Of course, she usually ended up driving herself into a wall and needed someone to guide her.

"Hey Quinn," Judy greeted as she entered her daughter's room two weeks later. "How are you today?"

"Tobey!" Quinn enthusiastically greeted. She levered herself out of the chair and onto the floor, playing with the dog happily.

"Hey mom," Judy said sarcastically, matching her voice to her daughter's as best she could. "I'm good. How are you doing?" Quinn ignored her, focusing all her attention on the dog, but it got a chuckle from Megan. Once she learned Quinn had a seeing eye dog, Megan reached out to the center that had trained Tobey. She met with his original handler, who was surprised to hear Quinn was in a wheelchair and had been since her accident. How Russel managed to keep that one a secret was beyond either of them. Together they had been working with Tobey, training him to work with the wheelchair.

"Okay Quinn," Megan stepped up, breaking their reunion. Tobey immediately calmed and Quinn looked up guiltily. "Remember, he isn't a pet. He has a job. And you need to let him do it."

"But I can still play with him, right?" she checked.

"Yes, but not right now. Right now you need to learn how to work with him."

"Okay," Quinn reluctantly agreed.

"Okay. First, we need to get his vest on. Do you remember where you put it?" Megan asked once they both calmed down.

"On the bedside table," Quinn answered.

"Can you get it or do you need help?"

"I got it," Quinn answered, before turning to the dog. "Tobey. Get the vest." Tobey quickly went to fetch the item, bringing it back and putting it into her hand. He then positioned himself exactly where she needed him to in order to clip on the Service Dog vest he just brought.

"Impressive," Megan said, seeing the two of them interact for the first time. "Remember you can't play with him like that when he's wearing his vest. It's very…"

"Important to separate his working and playing," Quinn finished. "I know."

"I've been working with Zach from the training center." Quinn nodded, knowing exactly who she was talking about. She met with Zach for a few times before they officially united the two of them. "We've been getting Tobey comfortable with a wheelchair. We have a special harness for him." She held it out for Quinn to feel. "It clips on just like his vest, but it has a sturdy handle that will always be up. The handle is slightly longer than normal so you should be able to hold on while you're in the chair."

"I can take him for a walk?" She asked, amazed at the thought. "All by myself?"

"That's what we're hoping for. Tobey has adjusted well. We just have to see how well you do." Quinn nodded excitedly, patting the ground around her looking for her chair. Tobey put his head under her hand and guided her to the chair, which had rolled a bit during their playtime. "Here." Once Quinn was situated, Megan handed the harness to her and called Tobey over. "The front strap goes over his head and between his front legs, just like the vest. The back strap goes around his waist, just a bit higher than the vest strap," she explained, as she helped Quinn get the harness into place. "It also clicks directly into his vest, for added support," she said as she maneuvered Quinn's hands into position, "but it puts a strain on his back so he shouldn't wear it all the time." Quinn froze.

"It's hurting him?" she asked seriously.

"No honey," Judy jumped in. "Think of it like wearing a backpack. If you're actually walking it's fine, but once you stop the backpack is the first thing to go." Quinn frowned. She couldn't actually remember ever wearing a backpack, but she understood what her mother was saying.

"So as long as were actually walking it's fine," she said slowly, "but once we get home it should come off right away."

"Right," Megan agreed. "But not his vest. He's still working after all. You've been spoiling him." Quinn looked up guiltily. "This is going to be a learning experience for both of you. He's going to be doing things he's never done before, as are you. You guys just need to learn together."

"Will I ever be able to take the vest off at home?" Quinn asked.

"Probably," Megan told her, "just make sure he wears it for a bit. Just like when you first got him." Quinn nodded in understanding. "Now let's work on walking." Quinn nodded, reaching down to snap the harness into place. "We've trained him to walk beside the chair," she explained, pushing the chair to the center of the room so Tobey could get into position with Quinn could holding the harness. "He'll still be a little in front of the chair, so he'll still lead you just like he was trained, but with this harness there won't be a lot of time for corrections, so you'll have to listen to his cues carefully."

"Okay," Quinn nodded, trying to think about everything Zach taught her when she was training with Tobey. She listened intently, but hadn't used anything they talked about regarding Tobey leading her and forgot most of it. Judy laughed at the serious expression on her daughter's face.

"Ready to try?" Megan asked. Quinn nodded. "I think we should start outside. It's a nice day with wide open spaces to practice. I'll take Tobey and your mother can push you." Quinn nodded, reluctantly dropping her hand from the harness. Tobey stuck his nose in her hand before moving over to Megan.

"Does this mean Tobey gets to stay here now?" Quinn asked her mother as they made their way outside.

"No baby," she said sadly. She didn't miss the way her daughter lit up when the dog was nearby. Quinn frowned. "But he does get to visit more. You two will be having a few therapy sessions together before you get to come home."

"And he'll be there, right?" Quinn asked, a barely controlled hint in her voice.

"Absolutely. We've been getting to know each other very well. He's an amazing animal."

"I know," Quinn agreed when they suddenly stopped.

"Okay," Megan broke in. "We have plenty of space. Ready to try?"

"Yeah." Quinn pushed herself a few paces forward and held out her hand. Tobey immediately moved into position, and a few more pushes from Quinn and the two were off.

"Oh my God," Megan said as they watched. "I didn't even tell her what to do."

"Amazing," Judy agreed. After a few minutes it was like they had been together for years. Tobey guided her around patients out enjoying the weather, benches, and any other obstacles they came across while the two of them watched in amazement.

"Does this mean she'll be ready to come home soon?" Judy asked as Quinn got more comfortable with the new harness. Soon she was leading Tobey around the garden, while he carefully guided her around any obstacles they came across.

"I want to do a couple more sessions with Tobey, but I don't think it will take much time to master everything I think they need. It's like they've been doing this for years, not hours."

"They are pretty amazing together," Judy agreed as the two of them sat back and watched. Eventually Megan flipped her wrist and glared at her watch.

"Damn. I'm late," she said as she stood up, stretching her back.

"I can bring her in," Judy offered. Megan smiled at her.

"You still have some time. She doesn't have PT until four." Judy glanced at her own watch. It was 12:30. "I'll have someone bring out some lunch for you two."

"Thanks," Judy replied, turning to watch her daughter once again. They definitely had a system down now. Tobey stayed on Quinn's left, weaker side. He helped pull her while her right arm pushed the other wheel at just the right speed. "Quinn?" she called out after a nurse delivered their lunch. Quinn stopped and looked toward her quizzically. "It's time for lunch."

"Okay," Quinn answered back before turning to the dog. "Find Judy." Tobey's ears perked up at the command and he quickly and safely led Quinn to her mother. Judy scratched him behind the ears as a reward.

"Do you want to eat in the chair or would you rather transfer to the bench?" Judy asked politely.

"The bench," Quinn said, dropping Tobey's leash and maneuvering the chair into position. She quickly transferred, sighing as she leaned into her mother. "Should I take his harness off now?" she asked.

"I think that should be alright," Judy told her. "Do you need any help?"

"No," Quinn told her, her fingers already ghosting over the harness.

"You can take his vest off too, if you want." Quinn's fingers stopped.

"He needs to leave again?" Judy smiled.

"Not yet, but I think after all the hard work you two just did, you both deserve some play time."

"Really?" Quinn perked up, her fingers quickly finding the buckles and unsnapping the harness. She did the same thing to the vest. "Can we play now?"

"After lunch," Judy said, pulling out the sandwiches the nurse had brought her. "And I think we need to limit play time to fetch. This is still a hospital and we don't want him getting too riled up."

"Okay," Quinn agreed as she slowly unwrapped her sandwich. She laid the opened cellophane wrapper on the bench and opened her turkey sandwich, carefully feeling the inside to check what she had. She found the tomatoes and casually tossed them Tobey's direction. The dog caught them in the air and laid down to eat his treat. "Any mustard and mayo? Oh. Never mind. I found the packets." Judy watched again as Quinn slowly dressed her sandwich before putting it back together. The simple fact that she could do that now showed how truly beneficial this place had been. Before, Quinn would simply eat whatever Russel gave her, and she was pretty sure her ex didn't have Quinn's preferences in mind.

"There's chips, an apple, and a bottle of water too," Judy said, putting the brown bag lunch on the bench. Quinn's hand slowly reached out, sweeping back and forth like Megan taught her, until she found the bag. Judy watched as her daughter slowly examined the content of the bag, laying everything out in an orderly fashion on the bench.

"There's a cookie too," Quinn said, excitedly, taking a small bite to see what kind of treat she had. "Chocolate chip. My favorite." Quinn beamed as she ate her lunch. Judy picked at hers, but she was much more interested in her daughter. "Okay. I'm done. Can we play now?"

"There's a ball in my purse," Judy said, smiling at her daughter's eager tone. Quinn immediately grabbed her mother's purse before Judy could even reach down. She reached in without asking for permission, something that normally would have angered the older lady but right now it brought tears to her eyes. That was something the old Quinn would have done. The new Quinn was much too insecure to test boundaries like that, even if they were only in her mind.

"Tobey!" Quinn called after she found the ball. "Want to play fetch?" The dog responded, leaping to his feet quickly and forcing his nose in her hand. She laughed, then pulled her arm back to throw. "Hey mom?" she asked awkwardly before she threw the ball, "I'm not going to hit anyone, am I?" Judy glanced around. There were a few other patients out enjoying the sunshine, but they were at the far ends of the courtyard and well out of Quinn's range.

"Just don't throw too hard." Quinn nodded and let the ball fly.

"Tobey. Fetch." Tobey wasted no time chasing after the ball, retrieving it and stopping under a shady tree to chew.

"Quinn," Judy started uncertainly, "there's a few things we need to talk about, and I think this is the perfect time."

"Are you leaving?" Quinn's lip started trembling as she subconsciously assumed the worst, just like Russel always told her.

"Never," Judy assured her, reaching out to grab her hands and holding them tightly, "but I don't want to make decisions for you like your father did. At least not without talking to you first." She squeezed her hands tightly. "The first is about your arm." Quinn immediately looked down to her left arm. She always had trouble with that arm, it was hard to bend and move unlike her right arm, and it wasn't nearly as strong. Plus, it ached almost every night. At least until she came her.

"What's wrong with it?" she asked.

"It never healed right," Judy told her. "Do you remember how muscles and bones work?" Quinn shook her head. She hadn't gotten anywhere near the human body yet in her studies with Nathan. "Bones support your body and muscles move your body." Quinn nodded in understanding so Judy continued. "Tendons connect bones and muscles together. Do you understand."

"Yeah," Quinn said, "but I don't know how long I'll remember. I usually forget this stuff pretty quickly."

"That's okay. You don't need to remember. You just need to understand right now for our talk." Quinn nodded. "In the accident, most of the muscles in your left arm were torn from the bone. From your shoulder all the way down to your wrist."

"How?" Quinn asked. Judy shook her head.

"I'm not sure. It had something to do with the force you were hit with, but I'm not sure how it all works, scientifically speaking. When muscles are torn away from bones, the tendons usually rip, which is what happened to you. Doctors have a surgery where they go and stitch the two ends of the tendon together, so it will heal."

"Why didn't they do that with me?" Quinn asked.

"They did sweetie," Judy told her. "It was one of the many operations you had after your accident. But they have no way of knowing if the surgery is going to be successful right away. They have to wait a few weeks to see how the tendons are healing." She reached up and brushed a lock of Quinn's hair back. "Your arm didn't heal as completely as they hoped it would. Dr. Mathison thinks about forty percent of the tendons completely healed. That's why you can still move your arm, but why it seems so much weaker than your right." Quinn looked up, her forehead scrunching as she thought this over.

"Can he fix it?" she asked carefully. Judy sighed.

"They can do the operation again, but so much time has passed they really have no idea how successful it would be, and that's on top of the uncertainty inherent in the operation itself." Quinn's face scrunched again into what Judy was quickly recognizing as her deep thinking face. It physically pained her to see her daughter forced to concentrate so deeply on such simple concepts. Quinn had always been very smart and always kept up good grades in school even though she didn't need to study much. She just always seemed to get things. But here she was, struggling to understand what was happening to her own body. "Do you understand?" Judy asked after a few minutes.

"I think so," Quinn responded quietly. Tobey chose that moment to return with the ball. He dropped it in her hands and she absently reached to pet him behind the ears. She got ready to throw the ball again when she suddenly stopped and awkwardly moved it to her left hand. She sat holding it for a minute, testing how it felt in her hand, before reaching back and throwing it with all her might. It landed a few feet away. Tobey looked at it, then turned back to her. "Tobey. Fetch," she commanded distractedly. Tobey retrieved the ball, returning with it immediately and laying it in her hands.

"Quinnie? Honey? Are you alright?" Judy asked, scared when tears suddenly formed in her daughter's eyes.

"Did he know?" she asked coldly.

"Did who know what baby?" Judy asked.

"Daddy," Quinn told her, tears streaming down her face. "Did he know that the doctors could have fixed me?" Judy felt her own tears forming, but held them back. She was determined to be strong for her daughter.

"He knew," she said calmly, grabbing Quinn's hands again, despite the slimy ball that she held. "Dr. Smith wanted to do the operation again before you were transferred, but Russel wouldn't agree to it. And since it wasn't a life and death operation, he needed Russel's consent."

"I could have been fixed," Quinn said, tears streaming down her face. Judy pulled her daughter into her, hugging her close as she held on for dear life. Finally, her daughter calmed down. "Why are you telling me this?" she asked.

"Because it's an option," she told her. "And I won't be like your father. I won't make decisions for you without talking to you first."

"What does Dr. Mathison think?" Quinn asked, pulling away slightly. She moved her hands, her right hand hanging down by Tobey. He quickly moved his head so his nose was touching.

"He's not sure," she admitted. "Like I said, he has no way of knowing if the surgery would work or not. It's a painful surgery and a long recovery time and it all could be for nothing."

"What do you think?" she asked.

"I think we should wait and see," she admitted. "Dr. Mathison said it really wouldn't make much difference if we had the surgery now or if we waited a few months. You've never really had any physical therapy before. Maybe they can show you some exercises and stretches that will strengthen your arm just as much as your legs. Maybe you'll get so strong you won't even notice and you won't need to go through another surgery. Unless, of course, you're planning a career as a professional arm wrestler." Quinn chuckled, which was what the older blonde was hoping for.

"I think I'd like to wait and see," she said a few minutes later. "I've had enough surgeries for one lifetime, and that's just remembering a tiny bit of it." This time Judy laughed. "Can we wait for a bit?"

"Of course," she said, leaning over and kissing Quinn on her forehead, which was still scrunched up in thought. Quinn smiled before reaching for the ball. It had been knocked down sometime during their talk.

"Tobey. Ball." She held out her hand and Tobey obediently placed the ball in it. "Fetch," she said, throwing the ball as hard as she could. Judy watched as the dog caught the ball and headed to the shade of a tree before chewing. "Hey mom?" Quinn started uncertainly. "You said I would be going home soon. Does that mean you're taking me back to Ohio?"

"No. I said I would never do that."

"So you found a place here?" she asked, not daring to get her hopes up.

"Not yet," Judy told her sadly. "I'm afraid your father is making things extremely difficult right now. He's a very powerful man and right now he's broadcasting he doesn't want me in his city loud and clear."

"Oh," Quinn said, scrunching her forehead again. Judy watched her think for a few minutes before she sighed deeply. "Does that mean I'm gonna go back to daddy's house?" Quinn deliberately kept her face down so the older woman couldn't see her anxiety.

"Do you want to?" Judy asked the question quietly, her heart pounding in her chest. She felt sick when she thought that Quinn might want to return to Russel, but like she told her daughter earlier, she wouldn't make those decisions for her without at least talking to her first. "I want you to really think about this."

"If I did," Quinn started hesitantly, "would you leave again?"

"No baby," Judy reassured her. "I will never leave you. And your sister won't. And your friends won't. It will be different. Russel won't be able to keep you hidden away anymore." Quinn thought about it for a few minutes. Her father's home was the only thing she had ever known. She knew he loved her, or at least she thought he did, but there was something missing at that home that she had only felt since waking up in the hospital. Love, she realized. Russel loved her, but it was always cold and clinical, not the all-encompassing warmth she felt at the hands of her mother and her friends.

"I don't want to," she admitted quietly. Judy smiled at her, relieved beyond words.

"I'll never make you go back there," she promised, pulling her daughter into a hug.

"But I don't want to go to Ohio either," Quinn told her. "If you can't find a place do I have to go back with daddy?"

"That was actually the other thing I wanted to talk to you about," Judy said, releasing Quinn. "Rachel offered me, no us, a place at her apartment."

"Why would she do that?" Quinn asked. "I barely know her."

"But she knows you," Judy said. "You were on your way to becoming close friends, even closer than Santana and Brittany, before your accident. Plus, they kind of became my friends. They helped me so much when you disappeared. We've all become one giant, dysfunctional family." Quinn smiled, before it turned into a frown.

"But I have all these special needs," she said, tears pooling in her eyes. "Daddy said he needed to change the whole house before he was able to bring me home. I'm in a wheelchair. I can't do anything by myself."

"Oh baby," Judy pulled her daughter closer. "You can do anything. You just need to believe in yourself. Just like I do." She held Quinn tightly until she felt her start to relax. "And as for the wheelchair. I know you don't remember, but one of your friends from school is also in a wheelchair. He stays there just fine whenever he's in town. There's plenty of space for your chair, plus the guest room has a bathroom that is fully accessible."

"What's the downside?" Quinn asked, pulling away from her mother.

"It's kinda rundown," Judy told her. "It's a starter apartment. Something you rent while you go to school but get out of as soon as you can. And it's crowded right now, with Rachel, Finn, Santana, Brittany, Kurt, and Blaine all living there. They do have the guest room, which would be yours, and Kurt and Blaine were already moving up and are just waiting until their new apartment is ready, but they said we could make it work." She sighed tiredly. "I've been looking nonstop for over a month, but I just can't find anything that will work for us. I know it's not ideal, but it's an option."

"Will Tobey get to stay?" Quinn said after a few minutes. Judy smiled.

"Absolutely. Rachel has already talked to the landlord about him. And there's a few minor changes that need to be made to the apartment if we decide to take them up on their offer, but I don't want to force you to go somewhere where you're not comfortable."

"Maybe we could try it?" Quinn asked after a few minutes. "And if we don't like it we can try something else?"

"That sounds good," Judy said, looking at her watch. "I'll let Rachel know. And you have an appointment that you don't want to be late for." Quinn sighed as Judy called Tobey back.

"Does this mean I get to come home soon?" she asked as Judy put Tobey's leash on. She didn't bother with the vest or harness, since they would be leaving in a few minutes anyway.

"Soon baby. Megan wants to do a couple more sessions with you and Tobey, to make sure you're really as good as you think you are."

"We are," Quinn said as she transferred back into her wheelchair. She held Tobey's leash while Judy pushed her back into the building. She pushed Quinn to the physical therapy room. She had a quick discussion with Adam while his aides were stretching out Quinn's muscles, then left Quinn to her session with the promise to come back the next day. Tobey followed her to the car, whining softly when Quinn didn't come with them, but jumped in the back seat obediently.

"I know you miss her," Judy talked to the dog as they pulled away from the hospital. Tobey kept his eyes glued to the building until he couldn't see it anymore. "Maybe we can find someone to cheer you up." Tobey turned back toward her, laying down on the seat and putting his head dejectedly between his paws. She watched him in the mirror before turning her full attention to the drive.


	11. Chapter 11

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Tobey!" Beth yelled in excitement as soon as Judy opened the door. She flung her arms around the dog before pulling him into the room. Tobey came to life again as they began to play tug-of-war with one of his chew toys.

"Sometimes I think people just like me because of him," she huffed sarcastically as she made her way to the table. Rachel laughed at the remark, putting down the magazine she had been reading. Judy sat her purse down just as the door opened again.

"Thank you for this last-minute babysitting," Shelby said as she entered the apartment.

"It was my pleasure," Rachel insisted. "It was very noble of you to volunteer to take over the school play on such short notice."

"It's a kindergarten recital," she snorted. "It's not much work. The hardest part is trying to get the kids to stop eating their costumes."

"I would eat it too if I were dressed like a gingerbread man," Judy said, causing everyone to laugh. She turned in her seat. "I'm actually glad you're here Rachel."

"Why?" Rachel asked, her voice panicking. "What's wrong? Is it…"

"Everything's fine," Judy interrupted her. "She had her first session with Tobey today and it was awe inspiring." She couldn't help the proud smile that came onto her face. "But I was hoping to talk to you about your offer."

"Oh?" Rachel asked, her face calming again.

"We talked it over and we were wondering if the offer was still good?" Rachel beamed.

"Of course it's still valid. Does this mean you've decided?"

"We're going to try it on a trial basis." Rachel squealed happily. "I'm still going to keep looking, because we don't want to inconvenience you too much, but until I find something it would be nice to stay with you."

"I'll call Finn and have him start making the adjustments needed. I am so happy." She climbed to her feat, giving Judy a warm hug, before making her way out the door.

"You just made her day," Shelby said, pouring them each a cup of coffee.

"I know," she smiled, taking a sip of the hot beverage before glancing at Beth, who was still happily playing with Tobey. "I'm sorry if this complicates things."

"Don't be. You didn't plan this. And I would take a complication and having my daughter back over not knowing any day." Judy nodded. She knew the feeling all too well. They looked back to the little girl. "Have you thought about what you're going to tell her?"

"Have you?" Judy shot back.

"I've always been honest with Beth," Shelby said, watching her daughter play with the dog. "She knows she was adopted. She knows who Puck and Quinn are. I've never tried to keep Puck out of her life, and I won't do the same with Quinn."

"And I'm sure she will appreciate that," Judy said honestly, "and I know I appreciate that, but you didn't see her in that hospital. I thought she was having a seizure and dying, and that was remembering a tiny part of a conversation that happened years before. What if she hears Beth's name and that triggers something so powerful it kills her?"

"I don't know," Shelby offered what little comfort she could. She reached over and grabbed her hand. "But you know Beth is going to want to come see you, especially if you stay in the city. Especially if you have Tobey." They both laughed at that.

"I want them to be in each other's lives," Judy finally admitted after the laughter died down. "I want them to get to know each other. But Quinn is so fragile and Beth is so young and I don't want either one of them to get hurt."

"Quinn's a lot stronger than you think," Shelby told her. "And Beth is tough like her parents. It will work out." Beth chose that moment to come over to the table.

"Mom? Can we keep Tobey?"

"No sweetie," Shelby smiled indulgently. "He needs to go with grandma Judy." Beth scrunched her forehead, looking exactly like Quinn did a couple hours ago and Judy's heart surged.

"Can we get another dog so Tobey and the new puppy can have play dates?" she asked hopefully. Tobey was right by her side, his tail wagging happily. Shelby scowled and turned to Judy.

"You've created a monster."

* * *

"Mom. Look. I got an A on my spelling test." Beth was waiving a paper excitedly through the air when she spotted her mother waiting for her once school got out for the day.

"That's wonderful sweetie," Shelby said, grabbing the paper and putting it in her daughter's backpack. She grabbed the backpack in one hand and held her daughter's hand as they made their way out of school grounds, Beth happily telling her mother about her day.

"And I even made it almost the whole way across the monkey bars before I lost my grip," she said before noticing they were headed the wrong way. "Where are we going?"

"We have something we want to talk to you about," Shelby answered honestly as she led them down a few blocks to one of Beth's favorite diners. Beth's eyes lit up at the place, but she frowned in confusion.

"We?" she asked as Shelby opened the door for her. Because of the early hour there weren't many people there. Beth's eyes easily picked out Judy. "Grandma!" She ran over, giving Judy a big hug before looking around. "Where's Tobey?"

"Tobey's working," she answered as Beth and Shelby slid into the booth opposite her. Beth laughed.

"Dogs don't have jobs," she said knowingly.

"Tobey does," Judy told her seriously. "That's one of the things we want to talk to you about." The waitress came over and Beth was surprised when they let her order an ice cream sundae. They both ordered milkshakes. Judy and Shelby sat uncomfortably while their order was made.

"Mom?" Beth asked once their snacks were in front of them. "Is everything okay?" She was so concerned she hadn't even touched her ice cream.

"Everything's fine sweetie," she said, taking a spoon and stealing some of Beth's ice cream, causing Beth to pull the treat away. "We just need to talk to you about something really important and thought it might help to have ice cream on hand."

"Okay," Beth said cautiously, before grabbing her own spoon and scooping up some ice cream that was about to fall onto the table.

"Do you know why I came to New York?" Judy asked. Beth scrunched up her face, thinking hard.

"No," she finally admitted. She was so excited to see her grandmother, whom she usually only saw on special occasions, that she didn't even wonder why she had come. And as time passed she didn't even think about why her grandma was still there, she had simply enjoyed her.

"You remember when we talked about our family?" Shelby asked. Beth nodded.

"You adopted me because mommy Quinn and daddy Puck were too young to have a baby," Beth told them. "But you always wanted me to know them, which is why grandma Judy and daddy Puck come and visit on my birthday and Christmas."

"Right," Shelby agreed. "Because they were too young to have a baby and I really wanted to be your mommy." Beth suddenly turned to look at Shelby.

"Is that why you won't let me keep Tobey? Am I to young for a dog? Because I don't think I'm too young. I can take care of him." Beth looked at Shelby hopefully. Shelby rolled her eyes affectionately and looked to Judy.

"Monster," she whispered loudly, causing Judy to smile.

"You can't have Tobey because he belongs to someone else," Judy said calmly. Beth's eyes dropped a bit.

"Isn't he your dog?" Beth asked confused.

"No Beth," Judy answered calmly. "I'm just taking care of him for a bit, but soon he's going to go back to his owner. She really needs him."

"Oh," Beth said gloomily, turning to her ice cream and taking a big spoonful. "That's what you wanted to tell me? That I won't be able to see Tobey anymore?"

"No sweetie," Judy said. "I really want you to come see Tobey still." Beth looked up, confused. Judy sighed, holding in the breath for a minute. "We wanted to talk to you about our family. About your mommy Quinn."

"Oh," Beth answered, still confused. "I've seen pictures of her. She's pretty."

"Yes she is," Judy agreed, a wistful smile on her face. Shelby quickly took over.

"When you were a baby mommy Quinn and daddy Puck would come play with you anytime they could." Beth frowned. "We were living in Ohio then," Shelby explained, "and everyone was there, but mommy Quinn and daddy Puck would come by every day after school if they could. But then we had to move here. Rachel and Finn and everybody came here for school, but daddy Puck had to stay in Ohio."

"But he comes whenever he can," Beth said, frowning slightly. "Did mommy Quinn stay in Ohio too? Is that why I've never seen her?"

"No baby," Judy answered. "Mommy Quinn went missing a few months before you and your mom moved here." Beth was quiet as she thought about what Judy had said. She had asked Shelby about her daddy one day and Shelby had told her everything. She was curious about mommy Quinn of course. She asked aunt Brittany about her once, when they were feeding the ducks at the pond, and Brittany had gotten so sad. Beth never wanted to see any of them sad again, so she never brought it up again.

"Beth," Judy said softly, "we're telling you this because mommy Quinn was found." Beth dropped her spoon in surprise.

"You found," she sputtered several times. "You found mommy Quinn?" Judy nodded her head.

"That's why I came to New York. Because that's where mommy Quinn was found. I came to be with my daughter." Beth was silent as she absorbed the news. She didn't even care when some of her hot fudge dripped off the ice cream.

"Can I see her?" Beth whispered.

"If you want to," Shelby told her. "If you don't want to see her, we can stop this conversation right now. It's entirely up to you." Beth thought hard for a minute.

"Does she want to see me?" Judy closed her eyes tightly before reaching out and grabbing her small hand.

"This is where it gets really hard," she told her granddaughter. "Do you remember how we said mommy Quinn went missing?" Beth nodded her head. "She wasn't really missing. She was in a car accident, a really bad one. Her father kidnapped her, kept her hidden all these years."

"Why didn't she just leave?" she asked. "Did she not want to see me?"

"I'm sure she did baby," Judy told her. "As soon as she heard you were leaving she started making plans on when she could come visit you again. She chose a college that was close so she could see you whenever she could. You were all she thought about."

"Then why didn't she?" Beth asked, tears pooling in her eyes.

"The accident was so bad that it caused her to forget everything. She didn't even remember her own name. That's why her father was able to take her and keep her hidden. Because she didn't know anyone was looking for her." Beth picked up her spoon and started in on her ice cream again, which was quickly becoming one big puddle. She thought hard as she ate. The adults just watched as she processed everything. They never pushed. Finally, she lifted her head.

"Can I see her?" she asked quietly.

"Do you want to?" Shelby asked concernedly. "Because if this is too much and you really don't want to see her we'd understand." Beth thought hard again.

"I think I do really want to see her," she said after a minute.

"I'll talk to her doctor," Judy said. Beth was immediately worried.

"Is she sick?"

"No sweetie," Shelby answered. "She just never got the help she needed after her accident, so she's getting it now." Beth nodded and turned back to her ice cream. They both knew the young girl would need time to process this, and neither of them wanted to push her one way or the other, so they left the discussion there for the day. Once Beth was done they paid the bill and made their way outside. Judy climbed into her car, promising to be home shortly, while Beth and Shelby walked the few blocks to their apartment. Beth quietly did her homework, but her mind wasn't on the pages. Even when Judy returned, with Tobey, she couldn't get her mind of mommy Quinn. She absently played with the dog until Tobey lost interest. He came and laid next to her, putting his head on her lap. When it was time for bed, Shelby didn't protest when he jumped into the bed with her.

* * *

The rest of the week passed slowly. Judy had talked with Quinn's doctors and they agreed to let the two of them meet on Friday. All hands would be on deck for their meeting. They all remembered the unholy trinity incident and were worried something similar would happen. If anything sparked a memory, they figured meeting her daughter would.

Beth was feeling anxious. After the initial shock had worn off, she had so many questions. Shelby and Judy both encouraged her to ask anything. And although they might have simplified some of the answers they gave her, they kept their promise of never lying.

Beth knew more about the accident, and what was done and not done for her recovery. She knew Quinn was blind and in a wheelchair, and that Tobey was her dog and he was helping her do things that she couldn't do on her own anymore. She also knew that Russel had said and done some very bad things to Quinn, and that Quinn was slowly overcoming what he had done to her.

At first, she was excited to hear she had a grandfather. She asked her mom if she would be able to meet him too, which resulted in her mom and grandma both shouting no. Then they told her about the things he had done, both to Quinn and in general. Then they promised they would do everything in their power to keep him away. She asked Rachel and her aunts and uncles about him and they basically told her the same thing.

"How can someone do that to their own kid?" she asked after they got back home after visiting Rachel. It was the only time her mother didn't have an answer. Instead she just held Beth as they both cried. After that she really didn't want to meet her grandfather after all. But she still wanted to meet her mother. And Friday was taking a long time to get here. But finally, the last bell of the day rang. She grabbed her backpack and ran outside.

"Do you remember what we talked about?" Shelby asked as she climbed in the cab that was waiting. Beth nodded.

"Talk to her like I'm talking to a friend, and don't tell her she's my mommy." She frowned. "Does she know who I am?"

"Kinda," Shelby told her. "We told her that you're Rachel's sister and that you really want to meet her. It's not exactly a lie." Beth nodded. She knew they were worried about what would happen to mommy Quinn when they met, but she couldn't understand why. They told her that when she remembered something before she got sick, but this didn't make sense to Beth. But Beth didn't want mommy Quinn to be sick, so she promised to be careful.

The rest of the trip was made in silence, Beth fidgeting constantly from nerves and excitement. Finally, the trip was over. Beth gripped Shelby's hand tightly as she led her into the hospital. Judy was waiting for them by the reception desk.

"Hi Beth. How was school?" Judy asked.

"Fine," Beth squeaked out, her anxiousness making her incredibly shy. Judy knelt down in front of her.

"Would you like to see her? She's in the middle of a therapy session, so we can't talk to her yet, but we can watch." Beth looked up at her mother. Shelby nodded encouragingly, giving Beth the courage she needed right then.

"Yes please," she whispered when she looked back at her grandma. Judy smiled and took her hand, leading them back outside and around to a parking lot the taxi had bypassed.

"They are working on crossing streets today," Judy explained as she stopped them on the far side of the employee parking lot. Beth felt her jaw drop when she got her first glimpse.

"She's pretty," she said, immediately connecting the lady in the wheelchair to the pictures she looked at regularly. Her eyes lit up when she saw Tobey, but she couldn't keep her eyes off her mother. She watched as Tobey led her over to the ramp, then patiently waited for the next command. She watched as they finally crossed the road and made their way over to where a lady was waiting. She said something to them, which caused Quinn to beam. Beth automatically smiled as they crossed again. Then they practiced walking on the street. Then they practiced getting up and down curbs. Beth could have watched them all day. She pouted when Shelby grabbed her hand and started pulling her back inside. "I want to watch," she whined.

"They're almost done," Judy said as she led them back inside. "Quinn will be back inside soon, but there's some people I want you to meet before we see her." Beth nodded and pouted at the same time. Now that she wasn't watching Quinn anymore she was starting to get nervous again. She and Shelby followed Judy through the hospital and into a conference room. They were introduced to all of Quinn's doctors and they encouraged Beth to ask any questions she had. Beth had lots of questions, but was feeling extremely shy again so she just stayed behind her mother. Shelby took pity on her daughter and started asking some of the questions Beth had asked her. The doctors kept their answers simple enough for Beth to understand, and they talked to Beth like she was an adult. She soon was feeling confident again and asked a few questions of her own. By the time the woman who was helping Quinn outside joined them, she was feeling excited again.

"She's ready," Megan said, smiling brightly. Everyone nodded. Beth grabbed Judy's hand as her grandma led the group out of the room. She was feeling anxious again when they stopped at a door. The door was open and she could see Quinn in the bed, Tobey laying down beside her. She couldn't stop the gasp escaping her mouth. Quinn turned her head and their eyes locked for the first time. Time stood still for Beth.

"Just give me a minute," Judy said, squeezing her hand gently. Beth nodded, not able to take her eyes off her mother. Judy had to pry her hand free, but Shelby was there to offer hers. Beth gratefully grabbed on.

"Mom?" Quinn asked, confused why her mom was standing in the hall.

"Hey Quinn," she said, giving Beth one more reassuring smile before entering the room. Quinn followed her mother's footsteps as she approached the bed. "How was your session?"

"Good," Quinn brightened up. "Megan thinks I'll have no problem getting around on my own. Isn't that awesome?" Judy smiled, reaching down to cover Quinn's hand with her own. Quinn quickly turned her hand and was squeezing.

"That is amazing, but I hope you don't mind if I'm hovering in the background the first few times you go out on your own. I don't think I'll ever let you out of my sight again."

"Mom," Quinn whined, blushing fiercely but secretly loving the attention her mother paid her. It was so different than what her father gave her. Judy smiled and sat on the edge of the bed.

"There's someone here to see you," she said. "Do you remember what we've been talking about this week?" Quinn shook her head, immediately scrunching her forehead as she tried to remember. "Rachel's sister."

"Oh yeah," Quinn said suddenly. "She wants to come and meet me. I don't know why though."

"Because you're a part of our family, just like she is," Judy told her. "She's right outside. Can I bring her in?"

"Yeah," Quinn said, her eyes bright with excitement. She loved meeting the various members of her family, even the ones that admitted they weren't very close to her before like Blaine. There was always some sort of connection that Quinn felt around them that she couldn't even begin to explain. And when Rachel told her that she had other family members scattered throughout the country, and that they were trying to get here to see her again, she just couldn't wait. She felt Judy move from the bed and heard her move to the hall. A few seconds later she reentered the room. Quinn held her hand out in invitation and was surprised when a smaller hand gripped it.

"Hi," a breathless voice greeted her. She was confused.

"Hi," she responded automatically, though her mind was racing. The voice sounded like that of a child, but Rachel had told her everyone that was coming to see her had been in high school with them. How was a child part of her high school group?

"My name is Beth," she offered shyly. Quinn stilled at the name. Beth. The name tugged at something deep inside of her.

"Lucy," she offered automatically as she tried to figure out what that name meant. She felt the small hand stiffen.

"Lucy? I thought your name was Quinn?" Quinn knew the question wasn't directed to her, but she jumped in with an answer anyway.

"It is," she told the young girl, the hand not holding on to the young girl rising to rub at her temples. A killer headache had come on instantaneously, but she pushed it away and focused on the girl. "I used to go by Lucy, but I go by Quinn now. It's just sometimes, when I get confused I forget." Quinn was having trouble breathing now, and the headache was getting worse and worse, but she ignored it as best she could. There was something about this girl.

"You forget your own name?" Beth asked, giggling slightly before she remembered what she promised her mother.

"Sometimes," Quinn said, smiling impishly. "It makes it convenient when people are yelling at me for something I forgot to do. I just pretend they're yelling at someone else." Beth laughed slightly, which caused Quinn to chuckle.

"Quinn?" Judy's voice came from her other side and she could tell her mother was right up against the bed. Quinn thought about turning towards her, but couldn't. Quinn's head was pounding hard and it seemed her whole body was aching in time. She couldn't breathe right and was beginning to hyperventilate. She also thought she was seeing spots in her nonexistent vision, but she knew if she admitted any of these Judy would rush everybody out. And she didn't want to let go of the small hand she held.

"I'm fine," she choked out as another blast of pain shot out from her head. She gripped the small hand tighter, almost not hearing the small gasp. Almost.

"Are you okay?" Judy and Shelby said simultaneously to their daughters. Quinn immediately dropped her hand, scared she had hurt the young girl, but could do nothing to assure her mother. She heard the young girl say something, but it sounded like it was coming from far away, not at the edge of the bed where the girl was still standing. Beth courageously reached out and grabbed Quinn's hand, which caused the stricken woman to freeze completely. Quinn felt a prick on her arm then nothing.


	12. Chapter 12

Warnings and disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Did I do something wrong?" Beth asked fearfully, looking up to Shelby. She was scared when Quinn started shaking and thought reaching out and grabbing her hand would help, but then Quinn went completely stiff.

"No baby," Shelby told her, pulling her a few paces away from the bed so Dr. Mathison would have some room to work.

"We told you this might happen," Judy said, coming up to the pair. Beth nodded. She remembered them telling her something like this, but she didn't understand until now.

"What happened?" she asked, staring at the now sleeping form. The doctor had finished his checks and was apparently satisfied with what he found. He stepped away, smiling as he retreated to the hallway. As soon as he was gone, Tobey jumped up on the bed. He watched her carefully as he laid out beside her, his nose inches away from her face. "Tobey really likes her," Beth commented while she watched the dog. The comment caused the two older women to turn and watch, each with a smile on their face. Tobey inched even closer and licked Quinn's face, but when that didn't prompt any reaction he simply laid his head on her chest and watched her as she slept. Once he had settled she turned back to her mom. "What happened?" she asked again.

"Remember when I said she couldn't remember anything after her accident?" Judy prompted. Beth nodded. "When she met you she wanted to remember you so badly that she made herself sick."

"She wanted to remember me?" Beth whispered. Judy nodded.

"She knows you're important to her, even if she can't remember why. And her mind knows the information is there, she just can't access it, so she's stuck between two warring sides. Wanting the memories so badly and not being able to get to them." Beth frowned so Shelby jumped in.

"Kinda like when you laugh so hard your sides start to hurt." Beth nodded at that. "Laughing feels so good so you don't want to stop, but then your sides hurt so you do want to stop, but that just makes you laugh harder." Beth nodded enthusiastically at that. She loved laughing until her sides hurt, and even past that.

"Does that mean she remembers me?" Judy sighed.

"I really wish it did," she admitted, "because I know she wants to remember you. But she has no control over this. Either her memories will return or they won't. We have no idea which one it will be." Beth thought hard about that before puffing her lower lip in a pout.

"That's not fair," she decided. "I just want to get to know my mom."

"It's not," Judy said, "but you can do what we've been doing. Getting to know her all over again. Making new memories that she does remember." Beth smiled at that.

"I like that idea." She thought for a minute. "Can I tell her I'm her daughter?" Judy shook her head.

"Not yet," she told her. "You saw how she reacted to just meeting you. I'm afraid of what will happen if she finds out you're her daughter before she's ready." Beth thought this over for a minute then smiled big.

"So, she's not old enough to understand," she smirked.

"Something like that," Shelby smiled. "You don't want to hurt her, do you?"

"Nope," Beth said immediately, "but we can still be friends, right?"

"Friends," Shelby told her, "is a wonderful idea." She glanced at her watch. "C'mon. Let's go home. You still have homework you need to finish."

"But I wanna stay here," she whined. Shelby shook her head.

"No. You both need some time to process this. Quinn especially needs time. You don't want to hurt her, do you?"

"No," Beth said sadly. "I can still come visit, right?"

"Yep," Judy told her. "Just give it a few days, okay?" Beth nodded slowly.

"Can I say goodnight?" she asked, looking back toward the bed. Shelby nodded so Beth slowly walked over to her.

"Goodnight Tobey." Tobey lifted his head when he heard his name and turned to her. She petted him for several minutes before turning Quinn. "Goodnight mommy Quinn." She stretched up and gave a quick kiss to Quinn's cheek. Beth waited for a minute, hoping for some reaction, but the young adult continued to sleep.

"C'mon." Shelby held out her hand and Beth reluctantly took it, letting her mother lead her out of the room. Judy followed them out, unsurprised to find Dr. Mathison waiting for them in the hallway. She watched the two of them walk down the hallway before turning to the doctor.

"How bad was it?"

"It was a pretty bad attack," he admitted, "but she didn't pass out which is good. Of course, she was well on her way to passing out if we hadn't been ready with the sedative. We'll just have to wait and see what she remembers when she wakes up." He turned serious. "I'd like to hook her up to an EEG for the night. Maybe if we can see what that brain of hers is doing it will help us understand."

"What is that?" Judy asked.

"A series of electrodes placed on her scalp," he explained. "They measure and record brain activity. They won't hurt her and we'll take them off as soon as she wakes up tomorrow." Judy nodded and he quickly paged a nurse to bring the necessary equipment. Twenty minutes later they left the room. "You can go sit with her," the doctor said as he passed, giving her a brief squeeze on her arm. Judy nodded and went in.

Her first reaction at seeing all the wires around Quinn's head was disbelief. Her mind flashed back to the medical chart she had seen regarding the accident. She easily imagined Quinn's broken body lying in that bed, wires and tubes coming out from everywhere, and felt tears forming in her eyes. She wondered how Russel had managed to survive that experience on his own. She doubted she could have done the same. Granted, she wouldn't have called him first, but she would have called somebody. Shaking her head to banish those thoughts, she moved the chair closer to her bed. She reached out to hold her daughter's hand, which was thankfully warm. Tobey raised his head and looked at her before resting his head on their joined hands. She absently scratched behind his ears with her free hand, while her thumb made comforting circles on Quinn's skin. She was determined not to move until her daughter woke, which was just under three hours.

"Mom?" Quinn called out quietly, her eyes struggling to open. Judy squeezed her hand tightly.

"I'm right here," she called out, watching as Quinn's hazel eyes finally opened. "How do you feel?"

"Tired. Thirsty. Tobey."

"What is it with that dog?" Judy mumbled good naturedly as she poured some water into a waiting cup. "Tobey. Down." He whined unsuccessfully before jumping down. Judy took a second to raise the head of Quinn's bed to reclining position before holding the water in front of her. "Straw." Quinn obediently opened her mouth so Judy could angle in the straw. She took a few sips before falling back, exhausted.

"Where did the girl go?" Quinn asked, her ears not finding any extra sounds in the room.

"Do you remember her?" Judy asked hopefully. Quinn nodded, but frowned at the same time.

"Not from before," she clarified, "but she's special."

"Yes, she is," Judy agreed as she watched Quinn struggling to keep her eyes open. There was still quite a bit of sedative running through her system after all. "Are you tired?" Quinn nodded weakly. "Then you should get some sleep. I'll come by in the morning and we can talk. Okay?"

"Kay," Quinn mumbled as she stopped trying to keep her eyes open. After a few minutes, Judy lowered the bed again so it was level again. She kissed her daughter before grabbing Tobey's leash and leading him from the room.

* * *

"Okay," Finn said as he re-entered the kitchen, looking down at a piece of paper in his hand. "Everything on the list is done. Even the crazy stuff like making sure the floors aren't to shiny."

"Polished Finn," Rachel said absently as she thrust another paper into his hands. "Polished means slippery and slippery floors mean more chances of Quinn falling and hurting herself."

"But she's in a chair," Finn looked confused, only to stop at Rachel's angry glare. "Right. Dirty floors. Check." Rachel's glare softened and he smiled, only to sigh when he looked at the paper she just gave him. "Another list?" She was about to respond when Santana burst into the room.

"Oh hell no Berry," she screamed, flinging the list at Rachel. "There is no way I am scheduling my personal intercourse with Brit on your spreadsheet."

"What?" Finn asked in alarm as he took the paper and skimmed it. "What's this?" Rachel ignored him.

"Quinn is coming to live with us," she said quickly, picking up the paper and forcing it back into Santana's hands. "And while we might not mind you two going at it like cats in heat each and every night, Quinn certainly won't understand. So, unless you want to have 'The Talk' with your best friend, extracurricular bedroom activities are a thing of the past." The two girls glared at each other, causing Kurt to laugh quietly.

"I'm so glad we are leaving," he said to his boyfriend, which made Rachel throw her glare at him. "Not that we won't be back every day and help," he quickly backpedaled.

"You know we love Quinn, right?" Blaine asked, trying to get the Diva's glare off his boyfriend. "If we had known she would show up again, we would have never signed those papers."

"I know," she sighed, lowering her glare finally. "But if you didn't sign those papers than there wouldn't be enough room for Judy and Quinn. I'll just miss you guys so much."

"We're just a few blocks away," Kurt reminded her, moving over to give her a hug. "And we'll come by so much you'll want to kick us out."

"Promise?" Rachel asked gloomily. Kurt nodded. Rachel smiled up at him before turning back to Santana. "You don't have a problem having quiet nights whenever Beth sleeps over."

"That's cause she's a kid," Santana argued.

"In many ways, Quinn is too." They all were quiet while they absorbed that. "If it makes you feel better, Finn and I will adhere to this schedule as well."

"What?" Finn gulped as he really read the paper now. "Oh man. I am never getting lucky again." They all laughed as Brittany came into the room.

"I would like to reserve eight to midnight, every day, for the rest of our lives." She turned to Santana. "See San. No problem. We can still have our sweet lady kisses." Everybody laughed again, even Santana, until Rachel reached for another piece of paper she printed out.

"Rachel," they all groaned at the same time. Rachel looked up in shock.

"What? Is it too much?"

"Rachel," Shelby said, coming to her side and grabbing the paper out of her hand. "I know what you're doing."

"What am I doing?" she challenged. Shelby looked at her compassionately.

"Do you think I didn't make lists when I was pregnant with you?" she asked kindly. "I did. Everything I could possibly need and then some. I did, even though I knew I was going to give you to your dads and never look back. And then, when I brought Beth home, that was the first thing I did. It was such an impromptu decision that I was never really ready, practicality wise. Thankfully I was financially secure enough to get ready quickly, but it wasn't until I held her in my arms that first night that it started to sink in. And I started to panic. And the lists started coming out. Then you know what happened?"

"What?" Rachel whispered. Shelby smiled.

"I didn't have something on one of my lists. I can't even remember what it was anymore, but I didn't have it and life still went on. And we were fine." She looked Rachel deep in the eye. "You don't need a list to tell you how to take care of Quinn. Just follow your heart and everything will work out." She looked down at the paper and smirked. "And while a list of her medication and times might be worth having around, the list of approved bedroom activities might have to go."

"You're right," Rachel admitted, slumping slightly. "I just don't want to mess anything up."

"Life is messy Rachel," Blaine said, "but we all love you. And we all love Quinn. It will work itself out."

"Thanks," Rachel said, uncharacteristically quiet since she essentially lost this argument. "Is this a good time to talk about age appropriate movies and television shows?" Santana threw up her arms as she and Brittany headed back to their room, while Kurt and Blaine got off on a tangent about the new movie they wanted to go see while they packed up their belongings.

As soon as Judy officially accepted their offer to live with them, the apartment had been a constant flurry of movement. Kurt and Blaine were already moving, but they were planning on slowly moving everything from one apartment to the next once the new apartment was ready. Now, they were trying to pack as much as they could beforehand. The apartment manager had helped them out, letting them store their packed belongings in an apartment that was currently being renovated and thus unused. His only stipulation was that their stuff was gone by the time the place was ready to put on the market again. They only had to wait two more weeks for their new place to be ready, so they assured him their stuff would be moved soon.

Santana and Brittany were moving too, but they would just be taking Kurt and Blaine's room so Judy could have theirs. That would put her closest to Quinn. The kitchen and living room needed to be rearranged and for a while everything was a mess in that apartment. But slowly things started coming together. And it couldn't have come at a better time. The case worker assigned to Quinn had come for a surprise home inspection. She had been slightly skeptical when she took in the chaos around her, but once Rachel calmly explained what was going on, the case worker was firmly on their side. Anyone who would uproot their lives that much just to make a home life easier was okay in her books. She rescheduled the visit for next week, giving them more than enough time to get everything in order before she came again.

"Ta da," Blaine sang in triumph, showing the group the empty lower cupboards that were earmarked for Quinn's personal use. Kurt had been packing up the last of the kitchen items that would be moving with them. That gave them much more space since Kurt was the main chef of the group.

"That's great and all," Finn said, "but where's the pans and stuff?" Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Pans and stuff?" he scoffed. "You really need to learn how to cook Finn." Blaine interjected on behalf of his boyfriend.

"We left you some basic cookware," he told them, "but we had to move them to a higher shelf. I don't remember Quinn being particularly domestic, but even if she liked to cook it will probably be a bad idea for her to cook now. At least in the beginning."

"I will make up some labels tonight," Kurt added. "They will tell you where everything you possibly need will be."

"And probably everything we don't," Santana said, carrying a box from their room to Kurt's. She joined them in the kitchen as soon as she dropped the box. "Are you channeling Berry now Lady Hummel? Do we need to worry about lists sprouting from your hands as well?"

"Not at all Satan. I am not that obsessive. But I feel the need to remind you what Megan said. Quinn will learn her new home best if everything is in its rightful place from the beginning. Since I am the only one to consistently put things away," he threw a dirty look to his boyfriend, "I am the most qualified to decide where everything goes."

"Right. Anything for Q," Santana agreed, before mumbling under her breath. "We'll just change it up as soon as you leave."

"You'll do no such thing," Kurt objected, ready to read her the riot act when suddenly the door opened. Judy marched into the apartment, slamming the door behind her. The fight was instantly forgotten as they all gathered around her. "Are you okay hon?" Judy shook her head, flinging the brown paper bag onto the table in front of her.

"I'm going to kill that man," she said, throwing her purse on the table with enough force to almost push the bag to the ground. Finn rescued it just in time, looking in to see various pill bottles. Quinn's medication. Judy went to pick it up before she visited her daughter. One step closer to being home.

"What happened?" Finn asked. He took his role as man of the house very seriously, even though he knew they could all take care of themselves. Judy looked at them, forcing herself to calm down.

"Russel." They all gasped, in various states of anger. "He showed up at the hospital today, demanding to talk to Quinn."

"And they let him?" Santana asked, paling slightly at the thought.

"He is her father," Judy answered, "and he showed up with his high-priced attorney by his side. And we don't have a restraining order yet."

"What did he say to her?" Shelby asked, as worried as Judy was. Judy shook her head.

"I don't know," she admitted. "She wouldn't talk to me. She wouldn't even look at me. She pulled away when I tried to comfort her. I could see the tears on her face, but she wouldn't even let me hold her. And it's all because of him."

"We should go," Brittany said, breaking everyone out of their shock. They all stood as one, reaching for their coats before Judy called them back.

"No. Nathan's there. So is Tobey." Santana scowled.

"He's Russel's boy. I don't trust him."

"But I do," Judy said in no uncertain terms. "He's been there for her when we haven't. And its true Russel might have hired him, but he doesn't control him. He has done so much for Quinn, most of it behind Russel's back. He knows her better than any of us right now, and he knows what to expect from her after Russel's visits. He's the best person to help her right now." Santana backed down, but was clearly pissed by the situation.

"So how can we help?" Rachel asked. Judy sighed.

"Finish getting the apartment ready. The social worker comes by tomorrow for the final inspection. There can't be any problems or Russel's attorney will tear us apart."

"When is the court date?" Shelby asked as they once again worked on getting the apartment in shape.

"Two weeks," Judy said she passed the group and made her way to Quinn's bathroom. She and Quinn were sharing the guest bathroom, while the rest were going to be sharing the master bath. She gestured for the bag Finn held and began putting the medication away.

"Here," he said, handing her the latest list Rachel had made. It was her medication schedule, complete with check boxes so they could mark that her medication had in fact been taken.

"Thank you," she said as she examined the paper closely. He passed her some tape and she taped it to the backside of the mirror.

"Thank Rachel," Finn said. "She's the one doing all these crazy things."

"Like the age appropriate music list?" Judy asked, pulling out another list Rachel made. "You know she's not a baby." Rachel blushed.

"But Barney is appropriate for all age groups." Everybody groaned.

"No it's not," Shelby deadpanned. "It makes you want to shoot yourself if you hear it too much. The only antidote is having a two-year-old glued to the TV, watching and singing and dancing along."

"And since that shit ain't happening, I'm vetoing any dinosaur related music in the future." Brittany frowned and Santana quickly amended her statement. "Unless Brit wants to hear it. Or Quinn." Everybody agreed to that and soon they had established a rhythm again, which wasn't broken until Shelby had to leave to go pick Beth up from school. By the time they came back, everything was pretty much done. Only Rachel was still going from room to room, making sure everything was perfect. They decided to order pizza, so they didn't disrupt their perfect kitchen too much, and soon everyone was gathered in the living room, watching a movie Beth picked. It was the perfect day.


	13. Chapter 13

Warnings and disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Judy?" Judy slowed as she approached her daughter's room. It had been two days since Russel had visited her. She had been busy yesterday with the home inspection and had only spent a short time in the morning with her daughter. She was still aloof, but Judy had expected that from the early morning visit. Her daughter was not a morning person. A quality that had apparently followed her beyond the crash and into her life with Russel. A quick glance told her Quinn was not in her room, even though Tobey perked up his ears when he saw her.

"What's wrong?" she immediately asked the duo who were waiting for her. Megan and Amanda.

"We're not sure," Megan said when Amanda only sighed. "Ever since her father came she has been different. We had our last session this morning and it was like working with a completely different person. It's like she didn't even care."

"Even Tobey didn't cheer her up," Amanda threw out there, stopping when they heard the squeak of tires. They watched as Adam pushed Quinn down the hallway. She was completely still, almost lifeless, not the animated girl they had come to know.

"Hey Quinn," Adam spoke up when he saw them. "Looks like you have some visitors." Quinn didn't react at all. She just stared straight ahead. Judy forced a smile on her face and reached for her hand as they neared.

"Hey Quinnie. How was your day?" Adam slowed as they approached. He shared a concerned look with the women when Quinn didn't react at all. Judy sighed quietly before squeezing her hand comfortingly. "You must be tired. Why don't I let you get settled then come in? We can do whatever you want." Quinn didn't react at all. Adam threw a second look to the women before pushing her again. He turned the corner into her room and lifted her from the chair to the bed. He fiddled with the covers before patting the bed. That was all the encouragement Tobey needed, and he quickly jumped up, lying beside her with his head on her chest like normal. Adam left the room, closing the door behind him as he gathered by the windows with everybody else. "What happened?" Judy demanded, although a part of her already knew.

"She's been like this since her father left," Megan told her. "At first, we thought she just needed some time and space, but when Tobey wasn't even able to cheer her up, we knew it was serious."

"I'm starting her on antidepressants," Amanda told her gently.

"Will she still be able to come home at the end of the week?" Judy asked. "She was looking forward to getting out of here, no offense."

"None taken," Amanda reassured Judy. "In fact, we love it when we get rid of patients." The other two laughed at the inside joke, but then Amanda turned serious. "I don't know if I'll be able to sign off on her now. I don't think leaving the hospital now is the best thing for her."

"It's like she's not even here right now," Adam told her. "Since her father visited, it's like she's a shell of the girl we know. Take her last PT session. Usually she would laugh and joke and try, not as hard as I think she could, but try nonetheless. This time it was like she wasn't there at all. We were doing all the work for her. She was just laying there."

"Same thing with occupational therapy," Megan added. "She was just there. She wouldn't even work with Tobey. She didn't even acknowledge him."

"This is all Russel's fault," Judy growled. "The next time I see him I'm gonna…" She couldn't even finish that sentence she was so mad. She made a fist, fully intending to bury it in the wall, but before she could Adam grabbed her hand.

"Hey, if you need an outlet for some physical violence come down to the gym. I have plenty of bags you can hit. But right here and now, you need to think of your daughter. She has excellent hearing, and even with the door closed she probably caught enough of that outburst to know something's wrong." They automatically looked through the window. Quinn's head had turned the other direction, the only indication that she had heard them. Judy sighed, releasing her fist.

"If it makes you feel any better, Russel is never getting in here again. We left strict instructions for the receptionist. And this whole incident, along with her reactions, were reported promptly to her case worker. No high-priced lawyer will be able to give this any positive spin."

"That's so comforting," Judy spat at Amanda. "He probably ruined her for life, but at least he can't put a positive spin on this."

"I know your hurting," Amanda said, not willing to rise to her baiting, "but we had no idea she would have this reaction. She was perfectly fine when he visited before. If we had any indication he never would have made it through those doors." Judy deflated.

"You're right, of course," she admitted, silently crying. "I just want my baby to get better. What do I do?"

"Go be with her," Amanda suggested. "Knowing that she has a parent who cares could go a long way." Judy nodded and turned to leave when Amanda held out a hand. "I may have to put her on suicide watch," she reluctantly admitted. Judy gasped in incredulity.

"She wouldn't," Judy immediately protested. "Even if she wanted to, she wouldn't know how."

"Not living is a form of suicide," Amanda told her sadly. "We talked about this when she was admitted, the amnesia being both a blessing and a curse. This is definitely part of the curse. I don't know what her father said to her, and I don't want to speculate, but whatever it was has crushed her. Partially because of whatever it was he said, and partially because she doesn't remember any differently." Judy closed her eyes.

"I'll talk to her. Maybe she'll open up to me."

"Maybe get her friends to come out," Amanda suggested. "I'm relaxing the two visitors per day rule. Maybe they can get through to her. But I need to see some improvement before I can release her on Friday. You need to at least get her eating again. I can't in good conscience release her until she is eating again."

"I understand," Judy said, and she did understand. At least she did intellectually. Emotionally she was still reeling with the news that her daughter, on some level, might not want to live anymore. "I'm just going to," she pointed in the direction of Quinn's room. They all nodded, and stepped back to give them some privacy. She opened the door quietly. "Quinnie?" she called out. Quinn didn't react at all so she approached the bed. "Tobey. Get down." Tobey immediately obeyed the command, jumping down and curling up underneath the bed as Judy studied her daughter. She climbed into the bed, pulling her daughter's unresponsive, lifeless body towards her. "Oh Quinnie. Please come back to me. Please baby." She held her daughter all night long, rocking her gently. She didn't know when she started crying nor when she finally ran out of tears. She didn't know when she slipped into a disturbed sleep. She didn't know if her daughter slept or not.

* * *

"How's everything going with Quinn?" Shelby asked as they waited for Beth's school to get out. Judy sighed.

"Nothing is working," she admitted. "She still just lays there. Everybody has come by, but she's not responding to anyone. Dr. Evans pushed back her release date." Shelby nodded. Quinn was supposed to come home Friday. It was Monday and she was still in the hospital. "At least they have her back on IV nutrition. She can stay on that for a few more days before they have to resort to a feeding tube."

"Are they still talking about sending her to a psychiatric facility?" Shelby asked. They had all been disturbed when Judy dropped that bombshell on them the other night.

"It's still an option being considered," Judy admitted, "but it's a last resort. Nobody thinks that is a good option, but it might be the only one left if she doesn't start responding." Judy felt tears forming and quickly wiped her eyes. Shelby reached over and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm just so scared. I'm almost ready to go to Russel and beg him to tell me what he said to her so we can undo it. Not that I think he would. I wouldn't be surprised if that's exactly why he went to see her, just to put a wedge in our relationship."

"Why would he do that?" Shelby asked out loud. Judy scoffed.

"He's determined to keep her away from me," she reluctantly told her, "but I have no idea why. But I know he's up to something."

"Oh honey," Shelby pulled the woman tighter as she started crying again. "It's going to be okay."

"We've all tried to get through to her and nothing has worked. I don't want to send her away but I have no idea how to help," Judy said through the tears, crying on her shoulder.

"Can I try?" They looked up to see Beth standing in front of them. Shelby looked around at all the children meeting their parents while Judy turned away to wipe her eyes.

"How long have you been standing there?" Shelby asked. They were so lost in the moment they didn't realize school had let out. Beth shrugged.

"A few minutes," she admitted. "Were you talking about Quinn?"

"Yes honey," Shelby told her. She held out her other arm and Beth ran into it, hugging her mother tightly.

"Is she going to go away again?" she asked quietly. "I don't want her to go away again."

"She's just really sad right now sweetie," Judy told her, "and we don't know how to make her happy."

"Can I try?" Beth asked again. "I don't want her to go away and I don't want her to be sad." The two women looked at each other.

"Are you sure you want to try?" Shelby asked. "You've been kinda quiet since you visited her." Beth looked down at her shoes. "Beth?" Shelby prompted. Beth sighed.

"It wasn't like I thought it would be," she admitted. "I've dreamed of meeting her ever since I can remember and then it finally happened and it was different." She looked up at her mother. "Not that I want another mother."

"I know sweetie," Shelby reassured her, pulling her close. "It's natural to be curious about your birth parents. I never wanted to keep them out of your life. That's why Puck comes and sees you whenever he can. I wanted Quinn to do the same, and she did until she disappeared."

"I know," Beth admitted, "and I want to get to know her, but she's different than I thought she'd be. But that doesn't mean I want her to go away."

"I don't want her to go away either," Judy told her.

"So why are you sending her away?" Beth asked her grandmother curiously.

"When you love somebody, you do what's best for them, even if it hurts."

"How is sending her away the best for her?" Beth asked. Judy frowned, trying to think of a way to explain that Beth would understand.

"She's really sad right now," Judy explained. "Really, really sad. She's so sad that she isn't doing anything. She's not getting out of bed or moving at all, not even playing with Tobey. She's not even eating. And we can't cheer her up so we might need to send her somewhere where she can get happy again. Somewhere where she can start living again."

"What if she gets happy again when she's here?" Beth asked, thinking aloud. "Would you still send her away?" Judy shook her head. "Can I try?" Beth asked again.

"Are you sure you want to?" Shelby asked. "It's sad seeing her like that. And it's scary how she ignores everyone." Beth nodded.

"I want to try," she insisted. Judy sighed.

"I'll talk to her doctors and she what they say," she compromised. "But they have the final say. If they don't think it's a good idea you can't try." Beth nodded as she gathered up her things. She hugged her grandmother goodbye as she thought about ways to make Quinn happy again. Judy called a few hours later after talking to the doctors. They agreed to let Beth try, but wanted all hands on deck in case this hurt rather than helped. It was a desperate gamble, but nothing else was working and they were quickly running out of options. They had agreed that Beth could talk to Quinn again on Friday, two weeks since the last time.

The rest of the week passed slowly for Beth, who was trying to decide the best thing to do to make Quinn happy again. She asked her mom thousands of questions, and had even went with Judy to the hospital once, though she could only watch from the window while Judy tried to get Quinn to acknowledge her. That visit scared her. It was hard seeing Quinn so lifeless, doing absolutely nothing but lying in bed. It was so scary Beth was crying all the way home. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to," Shelby reassured her, but Beth shook her head.

"Yes I do," she said through the tears. Finally, Friday came. Beth still wasn't sure what she was going to do, so she packed her backpack with everything she could think of: games and coloring books and movies and books and music and toys. She wasn't sure what would make Quinn feel better, but she wanted to be prepared. She also grabbed her big stuffed cat. She still slept with him, but figured it would be okay to let him go if he made Quinn feel better.

"Are you sure?" Shelby double checked when they were standing outside of Quinn's room late Friday. All her doctors were there, and just like last time they had a quick meeting with Beth before heading to Quinn's room, letting Beth ask any questions she had and answering them to the best of their ability. Beth nodded.

"Quinn? Honey?" Judy knocked and quietly opened the door. "You have a visitor. Do you remember Beth?" They all held their breath, hoping her name would be enough to trigger a reaction. Judy sighed when Quinn simply stayed in her position, curled up with her back facing the door. Judy sat quietly on the bed, her finger's absently rubbing circled on Quinn's exposed back. "She's just outside, waiting to see you. Do you want to see her?" Nothing. "It's okay if you don't. You just need to let us know what you want." She still didn't react. Judy glance backwards to Beth's determined face. "Okay. I'll send her in. I'll be right outside if you need anything." Judy slowly stood and quietly walked to the door just as Beth came in. She squeezed her little shoulder supportively then left the room. Beth looked back to see everybody watching her closely from the window. She took a deep breath and approached the bed.

"Hey Quinn," she said as normally as possible. Quinn still didn't react, so she forced a smile onto her face and circled the bed so she could see Quinn's face. Her eyes were open so she knew she wasn't sleeping. "I'm sorry you're so sad. I want to make you feel better." She dropped the backpack to the ground. "I brought you some things to help. I know how boring it can be in a hospital. Once I had my tonsils out and I had to spend two whole days in a hospital. I was so bored. I brought stuff so you can have things to play with. You can even keep them after I leave so you won't be bored too." She started pulling things out from her backpack, giving Quinn a quick description before putting them aside. Quinn didn't react to the games or movies, but when Beth pulled out the book, Quinn shifted slightly.

"I can't read that," she whispered quietly. Beth looked up.

"That's okay," she told her, putting the backpack down without removing anything else. "I can read it to you." She hoped into the bed and snuggled with Quinn as much as possible before opening the book and starting the story. The adults watched in amazement as Quinn subtly shifted, making more and more room for the little girl, until Beth was comfortably snuggled into her side, her arm around the seven-year-old holding her tight.

Beth finished the book quickly, looking up to see if Quinn still looked sad. "Can you read another one?" Quinn asked quietly. Beth nodded, smiling brightly as she grabbed her backpack and pulled out all the books. She finished reading all the books quickly, there were only four and they weren't that big, but by the time she was done Quinn was listening to her intently with the same joy on her face that Beth had seen the first time she saw her.

"I'm sorry I didn't bring any more," Beth said as she finished the last book. "I ran out of room in my backpack."

"It's okay," Quinn told her, a small smile playing on her face.

"I'll bring some more next time I come," Beth promised. "There's a book that my mom reads to me where she makes up all these funny voices for the different people. She tried to read it as a bedtime story once, but I was laughing so hard I couldn't get to sleep."

"Sounds fun," Quinn sighed.

"Maybe she can come read it to you," Beth suggested excitedly. "I really can't do the voices like she can. I'll ask her tonight."

"Okay," Quinn agreed, snuggling deeper into the covers. "I never knew reading could be like this." Beth frowned.

"But don't you have books?" Beth asked.

"The Bible," Quinn told her. "After the accident, I couldn't remember how to read. My father taught me to read again so we could read the Bible. I never even knew there were other books until I got a tutor and got my first textbook."

"So, you've never read anything for fun?" Beth asked, a little shocked at the revelation. She couldn't imagine not reading. Quinn just shook her lead slowly. "Then I'll definitely bring some more books the next time I visit."

"Thanks," Quinn smiled down at her. Beth impulsively grabbed her, hugging her for a few minutes.

"Quinn?" Beth started softly when she pulled away. "Does this mean you're not sad anymore?" Quinn's smile dropped and she immediately looked down. "I'm sorry," Beth quickly added.

"It's okay," Quinn mumbled before looking up again. "Do you know what you want to be when you grow up?"

"A doctor," Beth immediately told her. "But last week I wanted to be a ballerina and the week before that I wanted to be a fire fighter. Mom says I keep changing my mind but it's okay. I still have lots of time to decide." She looked up at Quinn. "Why? What do you want to be?"

"Normal," Quinn said quietly. Beth looked at her uncomfortably. She didn't know what to say to that. She was about to look to her mom for guidance when Quinn continued. "I really don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I guess I had some ideas, before the accident, but I can't remember what I wanted to be."

"Why don't you ask your mom?" Beth suggested. Quinn shrugged.

"It's not important. I only want to be normal, but I'll never be like everyone else."

"Well I like you like this," Beth said, giving her another big hug. "I really like it when you're not sad."

"Then I guess I'll have to stop being sad," Quinn smiled at her, until they both yawned simultaneously. "It must be getting late." Beth looked out the window, surprised to see the blackness of night.

"I didn't even notice," she said as she shuffled out of bed. "I have to go," she said as she started throwing everything back inside the bag, "but next time I visit I'll bring lots of books. Did you want to keep any of the toys?" she asked. Quinn shook her head.

"I don't know how to play with toys," she said dejectedly. Beth nodded.

"We'll work on that the next time I visit too," she told her. Quinn nodded excitedly. Beth finished loading up her bag, pausing when she reached the stuffed animal. "Quinn?" she asked timidly.

"Yeah?" Beth took a deep breath and placed the stuffed cat next to Quinn. She automatically grabbed it, looking confused.

"This is Lady Tubbington," Beth explained. "When Brittany first came to New York, she brought her cat, Lord Tubbington with her. I was so excited. I love cats so much, but when I asked mom if Brittany could bring him with her when she visited, she said no. One of my old neighbors was really allergic. The next day when Brittany visited she brought Lady Tubbington. She said just because Lord Tubbington couldn't come didn't mean he didn't love me just as much as before and he sent Lady Tubbington in his place so he could still be there."

Beth put her small hand on top of Quinn's hand that was clutching the stuffed toy. "I don't want you to be sad. And just because I can't be here every day doesn't mean I'm not thinking about you. I want Lady Tubbington to keep you company when I can't, cause I love you so much even when I can't visit." Quinn nodded, tears forming in her eyes as her hand curled even tighter around the stuffed toy. "Can I give you a kiss?" Beth asked quietly. Quinn nodded. She ever so carefully climbed back onto the bed and gave Quinn a quick kiss to the cheek. "I gotta go now," she said as she climbed back down.

"Bye," Quinn waved slowly as Beth grabbed her backpack and headed out the door. She was upset when she saw her mom and grandma in tears.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked, scared of making things worse.

"No sweetie," Shelby told her, pulling her into a tight hug. "You did everything right."

"Are you still gonna send her away?" she asked, looking at her grandmother tearfully.

"I hope not," Judy answered, looking away from her granddaughter to watch her daughter. Quinn had fallen asleep quickly, her cheeks still wet from the tears she shed and clutching the stuffed cat. It was more emotion than she had given all week. "We'll have to see how she does tomorrow. But even if she's still sad, you were amazing." Beth smiled before yawning.

"I think it's past someone's bedtime," Shelby said, taking the backpack from Beth's hands. She held her little hand as they started walking down the hallway.

"Grandma?" Beth called when she realized the older woman wasn't with them.

"I just need a quick word with Quinn's doctors," Judy told her. "You two go ahead. I'll catch up." Beth nodded even as she was yawning again as Shelby led her away. Once they were out of sight she moved to where her doctors were waiting. "Well?"

"It's promising," Amanda told her. Doctors were trained to keep their emotions in check, but she could see all of them were teary eyed. She knew exactly how they felt. She wouldn't forget this moment any time soon.

"What now?" Judy asked, taking a tissue and dabbing her eyes.

"Wait and see," Dr. Mathison told her solemnly before Amanda piped in.

"We have something we can build off of, but ultimately it still rests on Quinn. And until she wakes up in the morning, there's not much we can do."

"Wait and see," Judy parroted, her shoulder's drooping dejectedly. She thanked them before going into Quinn's room. She gently ran her fingers through the sleeping girl's hair for a few minutes. "Please come back to me," she whispered before leaving and joining Shelby and Beth.


	14. Chapter 14

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Judy stood outside Quinn's room, watching her daughter. The doctors had stopped her therapy sessions, hoping this gamble would pay off and not wanting anything to derail it. For her part, Quinn hadn't noticed anything different, or at least she didn't show it if she did. She still reacted the same with the nursing staff and the doctors, with steady indifference, but she was still clutching the stuffed cat Beth brought. She never put it down, not even when it came time for her sponge bath, since she refused to bathe herself. That gave the doctors the little bit of hope they were counting on.

Of course, Judy was desperate for more. She couldn't ask Beth to come back. Not that she thought her granddaughter wouldn't, but something this important shouldn't be placed on the shoulders of a child. It was time Judy did something she was never any good at. It was time she became a mother. She took a deep breath before entering the room. "Morning Quinn," she said brightly. Quinn ignored her, turning her back and curling up into a ball. Judy moved closer, kicked off her shoes, and climbed into the bed with her daughter. It was a tight fit, there wasn't much room on the edge and Quinn wasn't accommodating her at all, but Judy would stay in that uncomfortable position all day if it helped bring her daughter back. "So today I realized I'm just as bored in this hospital room as you are," she spoke to her daughter, rubbing soothing circles on her back as she did, "so I thought I would read a book today. You don't mind, do you?" She waited a minute to give Quinn a chance to say anything, but she knew it wouldn't be that easy. Finally, she reached into her bag, pulled out the book she brought, and started reading out loud.

It was the first young adult book she ever read to Quinn, once she had finally outgrown children's books. Quinn had been enthralled by the story, and had asked her to read it the next day. And the next day. And the next, until Judy nearly had the book memorized and refused to read it again. Then Quinn asked if she could learn how to read so she could read the book herself. Judy was so caught up in her reminiscing that she almost didn't catch Quinn's body uncurling. Almost. She definitely noticed when Quinn turned in the bed to face her, scooting over to make more room for the older woman, which Judy definitely appreciated. She kept reading as Quinn shuffled closer and closer, finally cuddling with her mother.

"The end," she said several hours later. Quinn had her head resting on her shoulder as she listened with rapt attention. Judy reached up and brushed away a stray piece of hair, happy when Quinn didn't flinch away.

"Can you read it again?" Quinn whispered. Judy smiled.

"I can read it every day if you want." Quinn smiled, then turned her head down. "Will you please tell me what's going on in that head of yours?" Quinn was silent for a minute, then looked up hesitantly.

"You'll still love me, no matter what, right?" she asked.

"I will always love you," Judy told her again.

"Daddy said that he tried to call you," Quinn told her, looking down at her lap, "right after my accident, but you were so drunk you couldn't understand him. Then he went to your house to get you, but you refused to come see me. He said you didn't love me anymore. He said that you said you wouldn't have anything to do with useless freaks and that I should just die." Judy gasped.

"That is not true," she insisted. "I always have loved you and will always love you. And he didn't call, but if he did I would have rushed to your side, even if I was drunk." Quinn nodded distractedly. "You know all this Quinn. We've been over this all before." Quinn nodded. "What else did he say that got you so sad?"

"He said that I'm a freak and nobody will ever love me."

"I love you." Judy reiterated.

"But there's more," Quinn interrupted shamefully. "Right after he said that, I peed my pants."

"What?" Judy asked. Something was tickling the back of her mind.

"He said that you didn't want to come see me, that's why he said you died when I asked, and I got so angry at him but I peed my pants instead of telling him the truth and he just stared at me. He knew. I don't know how, but he knew. Then he said how you could never love someone so useless and helpless as me."

"You peed your pants?" Judy asked. Quinn lowered her head, but nodded. "How do you know?"

"I felt it," Quinn reluctantly admitted, "but I couldn't stop it. I tried to, but I couldn't." She looked up when Judy laughed. "Do you hate me now?"

"No baby. I could never hate you. I love you so much."

"Then why did you laugh?"

"Because it's a good sign," she said, her mind finally connecting the dots. "I know you wear a diaper, I've even changed it a few times, but this is the first time you've felt it. That is a good sign."

"Doesn't it mean I'm a freak?" she asked quietly.

"No sweetie," she reassured her daughter. "Do you remember why we're here? What Adam said the very first time we met him?"

"The first thing we have to do is wake up my muscles," Quinn repeated. Judy nodded.

"Regaining feeling is the first step to waking up your muscles," Judy explained. "Soon you might be able to control them."

"So, I might not be such a freak after all?" Quinn asked hopefully.

"You never were a freak," Judy said, holding her tightly. Quinn copied her.

"I'm not a freak," Quinn whispered to herself. "I might be able to go to the bathroom like normal people."

"You're not a freak," Judy repeated over and over again. "And I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks mom," Quinn said as she finally let her tears flow. Judy simply held her as she cried herself to sleep. When she woke up a few hours later she was surprised to find herself encircled by her mother's arms.

"Hey there," Judy smiled down at her. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Quinn admitted.

"That's good," Judy said, content to stay in bed and hold her daughter all day long. But suddenly Quinn got a panicked look in her eyes. Judy immediately knew what happened. "Did you pee yourself?"

"Yes ma'am," Quinn mumbled, looking down. Judy put her finger under her chin and forced her face up.

"That's a good sign," she told her again. "Do you want me to call a nurse?" Quinn hesitated.

"Would you mind helping me?" she asked quietly.

"Of course," Judy said, climbing off the bed and getting the supplies she would need. She quickly changed the adult diaper Quinn wore. Quinn stared straight ahead, her face turning red from embarrassment, but Judy didn't comment. "All done," she said a minute later. "See. No big deal."

"Thanks," Quinn mumbled.

"It's a good sign," Judy said once again, disposing of the soiled garbage appropriately. "Now promise me that if your father ever comes and talks to you again, you'll tell me what he says. And promise you won't take anything to heart unless I tell you it's true."

"I promise," she said, grinning wildly before her face fell. "Am I still able to leave soon?"

"It might be a bit later now," Judy told her. "You kind of messed up the timeline when you stopped trying and just laid in bed."

"Sorry," Quinn said dejectedly.

"It's okay, just promise me you'll never do anything like that again. If you ever feel like you want to give up you can come talk to me. Or any of your friends. Okay?"

"Okay," she promised, before looking mischievous. "When can I get out of here?"

"Let me go check with your doctors," Judy told her. "Let's see what they say." Quinn nodded. Judy went and found her doctors, only to return a few minutes later to find her daughter in a healing, restful sleep.

* * *

Russel Fabray smiled confidently as he adjusted his tie one more time. He looked up when the door opened. "Russel," his visitor greeted politely.

"Sherman," he returned the greeting, his eyes never leaving the mirror as he finally perfected his tie. He quickly put his suit coat on, brushing away the imaginary lint off the collar and making sure everything was perfect. "What brings you by?"

"I came to support you," he replied, coming around to stand behind Russel. Russel nodded as he finished preparing, until not a hair was out of place.

"Court isn't for another two hours," Russel replied.

"I'm aware," Sherman said, stepping back and sitting gingerly on the couch, "but I figured I would make time in my busy day to come down the hall and wish an old friend luck."

"Not that I need it," Russel grinned as he added the last few finishing touches to his outfit. The time for the court hearing had come at last. "In a few short hours I will be vindicated, and my daughter will once again be safe in my arms."

"I hope so," the other man said warningly. Russel nodded absently as he thought about the upcoming guardianship hearing. He was absolutely certain he would win, not that Judy wasn't trying her best to spread lies about him. He smiled wider as he thought about all the ways he had managed to sabotage her relationship with his daughter.

First, a few well placed, offhand comments to certain friends had kept Judy from procuring any suitable home or apartment in the city. Judy still had her home in Lima, but he knew the court frowned on taking Quinn out of the only place she had ever known. Whereas he had a huge mansion just outside the city, fully modified for Lucy's unique situation.

Secondly, he had managed to disrupt the growing relationship between his ex-wife and their daughter. He saw Quinn as often as he could, and every time he managed to drive the wedge that much further between them. Last he heard, they were contemplating putting Lucy on suicide watch, which not only brought Judy's relationship with the girl into question, but also her ability to properly care for Lucy. He was certain once Lucy was out of Judy's grasp, even momentarily with the judge, she would beg to be returned to him. And of course, the court would agree. It was in Lucy's best interest after all.

Russel finished preparing and turned around, hoping to catch up on a bit of his paperwork before heading to the courtroom, and almost jumped when he saw Sherman still sitting on the couch. "Anything else I can do for you?"

"Actually, there is," Sherman said, gracefully rising to his feet. He was one of the Senior Partners at the law firm, and was one of Russel's oldest friends. "There have been some concerns about this hearing."

"Concerns?" he questioned. "I don't abuse my child. I am the best person to look out for her. And soon everyone will know." Sherman bowed his head in supplication.

"I sincerely hope so," he answered truthfully, "and if the concerns were mere rumors on the street, I wouldn't even pay them any attention."

"But?" Russel said challengingly. Sherman sighed.

"The other Senior Partners are concerned about the image of the company if the verdict reflects poorly on you." Russel frowned. "The Walden Group has a reputation for good, honest, hardworking people. If the court sides with your ex-wife, we both know it would, more than likely, lead into a full on criminal investigation into child abuse. And even if the investigation goes nowhere and you are cleared of all charges, the damage will have been done."

"Are you saying you don't think I'll win?" he asked dumbfoundedly. "Who is starting these rumors? I want them fired immediately."

"There are no rumors," he quickly appeased his old friend. "Everyone in this firm believes you, but I am the first to admit I know very little about family court."

"Which is why I retained an attorney from our sister company," Russel said, not seeing the problem.

"Yes," Sherman agreed, "and Whitman, Mandrake, and Green took our request very seriously. One of their Senior Partners has personally taken your case."

"Yes," Russel agreed. "Marcus Green. And I believe he is doing an amazing job."

"Yes, he is," Sherman agreed. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them until he opened his mouth again. "He's my cousin."

"What?" Russel almost shouted. "He's never told me that."

"It's not something he tells many clients," Sherman shrugged. "He's the black sheep of the family. Everyone else, from out great great grandparents down through our own children, have chosen to practice law in the corporate setting, or even criminal defense. He chose family law, which our family has always thought a soft option. It's always been a point of contention in our family, and while I am personally glad that he loves what he's doing, he has never really socialized with us, professionally speaking."

"That's understandable," Russel said, frowning, "but what has this got to do with my case?"

"Last weekend was his mother's birthday. We all gathered for her party. Towards the end of the night he confessed he wasn't too sure of your chances of winning."

"What?" Russel demanded.

"He only took your case as a favor for me," Sherman told him, "and seriously thought about passing it on to some younger members of his staff."

"Lucy is better off with me," Russel insisted, his face reddening in anger. Sherman held up his hands in surrender.

"So you say," he said calmly, "but the evidence Marcus has been able to collect is questionable. He confessed if it was anyone else, if I hadn't asked personally, he would have dropped you as a client."

"He's wrong," Russel insisted, rage coursing through him. "I always put Lucy's best interest first. My wife was the one to taint us all."

"I hope that's true," he said, strolling towards the door, "and for your sake, I hope the case goes well." He closed the door as he left, leaving Russel alone in his office. Giving into his rage, he flung everything off his desk and pounded on the wood for a few minutes. Once the rage was gone, he straightened up, fixed his office, checked his appearance once more, and headed toward the courthouse. He ignored all the stares that followed him.

The trip to the courthouse cleared his head completely. He smirked at the press that flooded to the car the second he pulled up. Questions started coming at him as soon as he stepped out, but he ignored them. His lawyer was making a passionate speech about being unfairly convicted by the public before the trial even started. Marcus gave him a little nod as he passed, and Russel watched him finish the press conference from the safety of the doorway.

He had to admit, he was good. He seemed fully committed to winning this case, and if it weren't for the conversation he had with Sherman earlier, Russel would have felt very confident. But now there was some doubt. Marcus finished his speech and came inside. "That speech was very empowering," Russel said as they passed through security and headed toward the courtroom.

"Public opinion is often the key to winning these cases," Marcus said bluntly.

"My actions should be enough to win," Russel said. Marcus stopped.

"Your actions?" he parroted aghast as he turned to face the other man. "Your actions are the problem in this case."

"I have always taken care of my little girl," he said proudly. "Three weeks with my ex-wife and she's catatonic. They're even talking about committing her. That would never happen if I was there."

"You being there is what caused it," he told him, frustration coming out of his voice. "She isn't getting worse because she's with her mother. She's gets worse every time you visit."

"Now you listen here," Russel started, anger again coursing through his veins, but he was interrupted.

"No. You listen. Personally, I think the best thing for Lucy is to stay as far away from you as possible. But I agreed to take this case for Sherman. Even though I don't agree with anything you say, I will do my absolute best to win. And if we do win, I will go file the complaint with Protective Services myself."

"If you lose on purpose," Russel warned, but before he could finish Judy and Lucy came in. He took a deep breath and turned to face them. "Judy. Lucy." Judy glared at him as she pushed their daughter closer to the courtroom, stopping several feet away.

"Quinn," his daughter replied. "I go by Quinn now."

"What?" he asked, but before anything else could be said the doors to the courtroom opened. Everyone filed in, taking their appropriate places. Russel couldn't help staring at his daughter. Changing her name to Quinn was the first steps down the disastrous path in Lima. How could Judy corrupt her in such little time. Just then the judge came and court started. He kept one eye on Marcus, determined to step in should he intentionally be losing this case, but his lawyer was as good as his word. The other eye he kept on Lucy, as he subconsciously made plans to free her from Judy's evil influence once again.

"Quinn?" Russel was jerked out of his musing by the judge. "Can I talk to you alone please?" Quinn looked toward her mother, who squeezed her hand reassuringly. Russel was surprised by how quickly everything went, but when he checked his watch he was even more surprised to find several hours had passed.

"Sure," Quinn said shyly. The bailiff approached, introduced himself, and explained what was going to happen. Quinn nodded and pushed herself forward slightly so the bailiff could move behind her while everyone else stood to head to the hallway. Russel caught the eye of the judge as he left, and that glance left his stomach crawling.

"I would say how's it going," Russel snarled to his lawyer when they were back outside, "but it's obvious you're not fully committed to my case."

"What?" Marcus demanded, but Russel already moved on to Judy.

"What lies have you been telling her? Do you despise me that much that you would lie to her?"

"You mean like how you lied to her this whole time?" Judy demanded.

"I've always done what was best for her," he nearly shouted.

"Don't you mean the best for you?" Judy countered. "I'm the only one to really care for her." He was about to counter when the door opened.

"We are ready to proceed," the bailiff said, eyeing the disturbance carefully. Russel huffed and led the way back into the courtroom. His eyes sought out Quinn's, but she was staring straight ahead. Even so, he was confident he would win. He had prayed to the Lord for forgiveness, and the Lord had returned his daughter so he had proven his worth. And he hadn't done anything to become unworthy again, so he was completely shocked when the judge ruled in Judy's favor. Quinn glanced back, just for a moment, and Russel could see the guilt on her face. So, Judy had corrupted her again.

"No," he snarled, interrupting what the judge was saying. He shot to his feet and was next to his daughter before anyone could react. "You're coming home with me," he said as he grabbed her by the arms and pulled. He was out of his mind with rage.

"Stop!" the bailiff ordered, running toward them, but Russel didn't hear. What he did hear was Quinn's cry of pain. It suddenly occurred to him what was happening, and self-preservation took over. He threw his daughter behind him, right into the advancing bailiff, and took off running. The bailiff stopped reaching for his gun and caught Quinn as carefully as he could, but they still ended up tangled on the floor. By the time Quinn was sorted, Russel was nowhere to be seen.


	15. Chapter 15

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Quinn? Are you okay?" Judy asked as she fell to her knees next to her daughter. The bailiff caught her eye and she nodded as she gathered up her daughter in her arms. He gracefully stood and ran out of the courtroom, yelling over his radio.

"I'm okay," Quinn protested when Judy started running her hands all over her body, looking for anything that was hurt. The judge had come down and was standing over the two of them, while the lawyers were looking dazed.

"The paramedics are on their way," the judge said calmly. Judy nodded, but didn't stop checking. "In light of recent events, I don't think I'll need a police investigation to grant you the protective order you requested."

"Thank you," Judy said as the paramedics rushed in. Judy took a step back and let them do their job, while Quinn brushed their hands away.

"I said I'm fine," she protested, reaching behind her to try and feel her wheelchair.

"We should take you to the hospital for some X-Rays," one of the paramedics said. "You're favoring your left arm."

"I always do," she told them, grateful when somebody pushed her wheelchair close enough to grab. "I can do this," she said, when she felt their hands try and help her.

"You have bruises starting," the other paramedic said as Quinn pulled herself into her chair. "If he grabbed you with enough force to leave bruises, he could have broken your bones or dislocated your shoulder."

"Those things didn't happen," Quinn insisted, holding her right arm out as proof. "I can move it just fine. I've had enough tests and X-Rays. Please don't make me go get some more." Judy came and took the offered limb. She carefully inspected her arm, moving it through all the ranges of motion and studying her shoulder. Then she did the same with the other arm. Quinn couldn't stop the hiss of pain when Judy touched her left arm.

"I'm sorry honey, but if it hurts to just touch it, we need to get this checked out." Quinn sighed but nodded.

"I guess I was going back to the hospital anyway," she said dejectedly.

"Actually," Judy said, smiling at her daughter, "I was going to save this news as a surprise when we got the verdict, but I guess that time has come and gone."

"What news?" Quinn asked as the paramedics got some ice packs and began placing them along her arms where it was visibly starting to swell.

"You're not going to the hospital," Judy said happily. "You're going home."

"What?" Quinn asked, struggling to understand.

"Dr. Evans is prepared to release you today if the verdict went in my favor, which it did," Judy said, smiling brightly. "You're going home."

"I'm going home?" Quinn asked, awestruck by the idea.

"Yep. We just have to go back to the hospital one more time so Dr. Evans can officially release you, then we're going home. Of course, I think Dr. Mathison will want to have a look at your arm before you leave. I'll just call and let him know what happened." Quinn nodded as the paramedics finished putting their supplies away.

"I'm going home," she whispered as someone pushed her out of the courtroom and into the hallway. Judy finished her phone call and took over. "I'm going home."

* * *

"Surprise!" Quinn jumped in her chair as everyone shouted at once as soon as she crossed the threshold.

"What?" she asked.

"It's a surprise welcome home party," Rachel said, coming over and giving her a big hug. "I'm so glad your finally out of that hospital."

"I'm not totally out," Quinn said as she was pushed more fully into the room. Her eyes lit up when she heard Tobey paw across the room. She put her hand out and he immediately put his nose in it. He stayed for a minute before Santana shooed him away.

"My turn you crazy mutt," she said as she leaned in for a hug. The hug quickly turned into an examination.

"I'm fine," Quinn said as Santana growled when she saw the bruises on her skin. "It's just a bit sore. Dr. Mathison even checked it out. He wouldn't let me leave until he was sure it was nothing."

"Fine," Santana relented, letting go of Quinn's arm reluctantly, "but if I ever find that son of a bitch I'm gonna go all Lima Heights on his ass."

"Santana," Brittany warned, pointing over to the living room where Beth was playing with Tobey.

"What do you mean you're not totally out of the hospital?" Blaine asked as he passed her a cup with some soda.

"I have to go back three times a week for physical therapy," Quinn explained, trying the drink hesitantly, "and I have to go talk to Dr. Evans every week to make sure I'm adjusting correctly."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Kurt spoke up.

"It's a lot better than being stuck there," Quinn smiled briefly, then looked down at her lap. "I just wish I was better."

"It will just take time," Finn encouraged. "And we'll help in any way we can." Quinn smiled, but couldn't help the yawn that came out.

"Sorry," she told the group. "It's just been a long day."

"A lot longer than it was supposed to be when we planned this party," Judy added.

"In that case, I think we can reschedule the grand tour," Rachel said, handing Quinn a small bag, "and skip right to the welcome home presents. This is from Finn and I."

"What is it?" Quinn asked as she pulled out a small box.

"Books on tape," Rachel squealed in excitement. "I know you love reading. I looked into getting some Braille books for you, but they take forever because they're made to order. And I know you prefer reading your books over listening to them, at least that's what you always said in the past, but I thought this would be a good substitute until your new books arrive."

"Thank you," she said in amazement, wedging the box between her body and the wheelchair. "Nobody has ever done anything like that for me before."

"Not to be outdone," Blaine said as he handed her an envelope. "I know this whole thing started when you went to see Rachel's show, and we're so glad and grateful you did, but I wasn't sure how much of the show you actually remembered once all of this started happening."

"What's this?" she asked, pulling out two pieces of paper.

"It's two tickets for the final performance of the hottest show in the city," he explained, "starring one Miss Rachel Berry."

"What?" Quinn asked, holding them close to her chest. She thought back to the play that started this and was horrified to realize she didn't remember it at all.

"My boyfriend has a fashion show he apparently can't miss that night, so I have an extra ticket. I would be honored to take you." He leaned in and gave her a quick peck to the cheek. "Of course, if you would rather go with someone else I would completely understand."

"I would love to go with you Blaine," she said, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Just no hanky pinky," Kurt warned, but he was smiling as he said it.

"Hanky what?" Quinn asked, which caused them all to chuckle.

"I'll explain later," Santana said. "Now, don't die of shock or anything, but I teamed up with Lady Hummel for my present."

"A makeover," Kurt shouted happily. "From head to toe. New clothes, new hair, new everything. Not that you don't look fabulous right now, you just don't look like Quinn."

"Who do I look like?" Quinn asked self-consciously. Santana snorted.

"Russel's version of Lucy," she said. "Let me guess, he picked out all your clothes. He probably even told you what to wear from day to day. And how to wear your hair and makeup?"

"Yeah," Quinn agreed, "but I've never worn makeup before."

"You did before your accident," Kurt said. "You were absolutely stunning. Now I'm not saying you should start applying makeup yourself, but everyone in this room, with the exception of Finn, could apply some light makeup for you, for special occasions or when you go out at the very least." Quinn looked unconvinced. "Just think about it for now. And think about one more thing."

"What?" Quinn asked hesitantly.

"Your hair," Kurt told her. "It definitely needs to be professionally styled, and I think going back to blonde would be the right choice."

"Umm," Quinn started, but Kurt was off in his one little world right now.

"Don't worry about Lady Hummel there," Santana said, pushing Kurt away. He went without complaint, muttering about all the things they could do with her hair. "That's why I'm here, to keep him from going completely crazy. I know you don't remember what you do and don't like, but I do. I'll keep it real." She paused. "But you really should think about changing back to blonde. Seeing you as a brunette makes my bones shudder."

"I'll think about it," Quinn said, feeling slightly overwhelmed. "When were you going to do this?"

"We were going to do it tonight, after the party, but Russel threw a wrench into that plan. So, we'll do it tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Quinn asked. "Isn't that kinda early?" Santana shrugged.

"We all managed to get today and tomorrow off for your big homecoming, but who knows when we'll all have the same day off again." Santana reached down and grabbed Quinn's hand. "Come on Q. We'll have a girl's day, doing nothing but shopping and priming. We're having a makeover in New York City. It's what we always dreamed of."

"I guess," Quinn said hesitantly before she thought of something. "I thought Kurt was coming. You said girl's day." Santana laughed.

"Kurt is one of the girls. He always has been. Plus, he's our fashion guru."

"Okay." Quinn tried to smile, but couldn't hide the anxiousness she was feeling.

"Hey," Brittany came over and climbed onto her lap. Brittany had always done that, either climbed into bed with her or climbed onto her lap. At first, it really freaked Quinn out. Now, though, she found the act comforting. "We don't have to do anything if you don't want to. Getting the New York makeover is a big deal, and we won't pressure you if you're not ready for it."

"Really?" Quinn asked. "I don't want to disappoint anyone."

"You'll never disappoint us as long as your true to yourself. It's okay if you're not ready."

"But I don't want to ruin your plans," Quinn started, but frowned when Brittany laughed.

"Our only plan is to spend time with you," she said cheerfully. "It doesn't matter what we do. We can sit and watch paint dry and it will still be awesome cause we'll be doing it together."

"Just think about it Q," Santana said, squeezing Quinn's hand once more. "Don't worry about us, just focus on you. It's your day. And I will personally go slap some sense into Lady Hummel right now if you need me to."

"Thanks Satan," Quinn said tiredly as another yawn erupted. Brittany and Santana locked eyes before they turned their attention back to Quinn. "I'll think about it, but don't interrupt him. It sounds like he's having fun." Santana growled.

"The first time he gets lost in his own little world it's fun. By the fiftieth time it's just plain annoying." Brittany smiled and laid her head on Quinn's shoulder.

"I had a present for you too," she said. "I got Beth a stuffed Lady Tubbington so she wouldn't ever be alone. I know she's letting you hold it, but I thought if I got you one too then nobody would ever be alone. But I couldn't find one of Lord Tubbington, so I found a stuffed Tobey that you can take with you everywhere."

"That's so sweet," Quinn said. "Where is it?" Brittany frowned.

"I think Lady Tubbington and little Tobey ran off together. I think they are going to secretly marry so that when they come home they can help keep this family strong and together or else all the baby doggie-kitties will come from a broken home." With that she gave Quinn one more hug before leaping off, grabbing Santana and heading to play with Beth and Tobey.

"She hid them under your bed so you would find them easily," Judy said, coming over when she saw the dazed look on her daughter's face, "then forgot where they were." Quinn nodded. "I've seen several yawns coming from you and it's been a long day. Are you ready to go to bed?"

"I think so," Quinn said, yawning once again. "But I don't want the party to end just because I leave. I've never had a party thrown for me before."

"The party won't end," Judy said, "it will go on all through the night. All day tomorrow too. But you are more important to all these people then the party. They understand you still get tired easily."

"Thanks," she said. "And I am kinda tired." Judy smiled and moved behind her.

"I'll take you to your room," she said, pushing the chair slowly. "Rachel will give you the grand tour tomorrow, and they rearranged a lot so the chair can fit easily. Eventually you'll learn the layout of the house, but for right now I'll just push. Is that okay?"

"Okay," Quinn said, closing her eyes tiredly. They turned a corner and started down a hallway. The conversation getting gradually quieter until Quinn could hear a gentle din but couldn't make out any words.

"This is our turn," Judy said suddenly. Quinn opened her eyes, feeling around her automatically. She felt Judy turn the chair. "Just so you know, if you keep going down the main hallway you come to the laundry room. It's a pretty tight fit, even without a wheelchair, so I would avoid it until you get more comfortable here." Quinn nodded as her mother stopped.

"You and I are neighbors. My room is to the left, yours is to the right. And we share a bathroom at the end of the hall. It is fully accessible so you shouldn't have any trouble, but that means there isn't any bathtub. There is a tub in the main bathroom everyone else shares, and they said you can use it anytime you want."

"Why would they do all this for me?" Quinn asked, tears forming in her eyes. "They don't even know me."

"Because you are all one big family," Judy said, coming around to kneel in front of Quinn. She held her hands tightly. "I know you don't remember, but joining that Glee Club saved you in more ways than you can imagine. They were always there for you, and you were always there for them. And us parents, we were just lucky to be along for the ride."

"I want that feeling," Quinn sobbed. "I want to remember."

"It's okay," Judy said, pulling her into an embrace. "If you never remember it's okay. And do you know why?" Quinn shook her head. "Because you're making new memories every day, and you let us into your life. That's all anyone has ever hoped for." They hugged for a few more minutes before Quinn pulled away.

"Thanks mom," she said, sniffling.

"Anytime," she said, leaning over to kiss Quinn's forehead.

"Umm, do you think you can help me get ready for bed?" Quinn asked quickly, blushing slightly.

"Absolutely," Judy replied, detouring into Quinn's room long to grab some sleepwear before pushing her to the bathroom. She quickly helped Quinn with her nightly routine. "So tomorrow I am heading to your father's house, complete with a police escort. The judge ruled in my favor so he can no longer hold your stuff hostage. Is there anything in particular you want me to bring back?"

"My books," Quinn answered quickly, "and Tobey's things. Oh, and my sunglasses."

"What about your clothes," Judy asked as they finished up their routine and were heading back to her room. Quinn laughed.

"You can bring them, but I don't know what will survive Kurt's makeover session." Judy smiled as she helped Quinn into bed.

"If you think of anything else, just let me know. Or tell any one of the others and they'll text me." Judy reached down and pulled Lady Tubbington and little Tobey from the bed. She handed them to Quinn just as there was a timid knock on the door.

"Hey Quinn?" Beth said quietly. Quinn looked over and smiled. "I was wondering if I could read you a story?"

"I would love that," Quinn said, "but I don't know how long I'm gonna be able to stay awake."

"That's why I picked a bedtime story," Beth said, climbing up on the bed. She snuggled close to Quinn while Tobey jumped up on her other side.

"Goodnight sweetie," Judy said, leaning in for another kiss. "If you need anything at all I'm right across the hall, day or night. And I always leave my door open." Quinn nodded. Judy quietly retreated, stopping at the doorway and just watching them. Only when Quinn was deeply asleep, when Beth was halfway through the story, did she finally back away completely. She couldn't stop the smile she wore as she rejoined the party.


	16. Chapter 16

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Thank you for coming with me," Judy said as Nathan stepped out of his car.

"My pleasure," he told her, eying the policemen standing around. They were talking casually while they finished the burgers they picked up on the way. "How was the surprise party?"

"Short," Judy told him. "We were late getting started after Russel's stunt in the courtroom. Quinn was exhausted, emotionally and physically, and was only able to stay for a few minutes before she went to bed. But the rest of us had a marvelous time. I wish you could have been there."

"Me too," he said regretfully, "but a midterm is not something you can reschedule just to go to a party, no matter how awesome it is." He smiled at her. "Besides, Santana would kick my ass if I showed up to that party uninvited. She still thinks I'm Russel's boy."

"To be fair, she hasn't spent that much time with you. Once she does, she'll know you care for Russel about as much as she does. Of course, she'll probably find some other flaw that she can gripe about, but that just means she likes you."

"Well it won't be my devilishly good looks," he said, straightening out his hair as he spoke. Judy laughed then turned silent as another car approached.

"Mrs. Fabray," Detective Romero called out as the car slowed. A second later she opened the door and joined them. "Mr. Collins. I'm glad you could join me."

"Detective," one of the police officers approached and pulled her aside for a short conversation. Romero nodded and returned.

"The warrant was just signed and is on its way. It should be here soon. In the meantime, I think we should have a discussion so there's no confusion on what you are and are not allowed to do."

"Okay," Judy nodded.

"As part of her ruling, Judge Whitman ordered all of Quinn's belongings to be returned to her. At the same time, I am executing a search warrant for the household. I am choosing to do both these assignments concurrently. Mr. Collins will be able to identify any items belonging to Miss Fabray. If they are deemed irrelevant to my case they will be released to you Mrs. Fabray. However, if I feel they hold evidentiary value to the neglect case, I would ask to keep them as evidence." Judy nodded. She would give her anything she asked for if it meant keeping Russel away from them. "Be warned Mr. Collins. If you claim anything that I do not believe legitimately belongs to Miss Fabray, you will be arrested and removed from the property."

"Understood," he said solemnly. They watched as another car approached. Detective Romero had a few words with the driver than motioned everybody back into their cars.

"Let's roll!" she shouted as everyone got ready. "You can come with us, but please stay in the car until the house is secured." They nodded eagerly as they got into Judy's car. A few minutes later they were outside Russel's mansion. They waited patiently until Detective Romero approached. "You can come inside," she told them, "but only the living room."

"Okay," Nathan said, helping Judy out of the car and guiding her through the large house.

"Russel?" Judy asked as they made their way into the room. She expected him to be screaming and cursing at them and the silence was a little unexpected.

"He's not here," Detective Romero told them. "According to the security logs on the gate, he left for hearing and hasn't returned since."

"What does that mean exactly?" Judy asked. She knew he had a temper and he could do anything if he was mad enough. "Do you think he'll come after Quinn?" She was getting a very bad feeling about his disappearance.

"I don't know," she admitted. "Is it possible he just needs a few days to get his head on straight?"

"Possible," Judy reluctantly admitted, "but I don't think so. Russel is very determined, especially when he thinks he's right. The fact that he lost the guardianship case won't matter to him, except to make him angrier. If he thinks Quinn belongs with him, he'll stop at nothing to get her back." The detective nodded, fearing this reaction.

"We'll watch the house for a few days. Hopefully he is just cooling down and will come back. Your apartment also has rather impressive security systems in place. I'll go talk to the manager, show him Russel's picture and make sure he and his staff knows to be on the lookout. I'll even have a unit drive by more frequently." Judy nodded, feeling slightly better. "In the meantime, be vigilante. Be careful, don't post your schedules online, be cognizant of your surroundings."

"We will," Nathan said when it became apparent Judy couldn't speak.

"Unfortunately for Mr. Fabray, my investigation will continue in his absence. I'll keep you updated with any developments, but for now we have a search warrant to execute. These officers will stay with you." Nathan nodded as Judy sank onto the couch.

"It will be okay," he told her, sitting next to her and squeezing her shoulder supportively. "She's safe. He can't get to her."

"Is she?" she spoke softly. "She was safe in the hospital and he got to her there. He can get to her with just a word."

"No he can't," Nathan insisted, "because we won't let him. And now we have a restraining order so we can have him arrested if he tries to get to her. He's smart. He won't try anything."

"I hope your right," Judy said, sinking into the couch. She was brought out of her reverie when the officers brought the first batch of Quinn's things. She and Nathan spent the rest of the afternoon going through her things, deciding what they would take back with them, and Judy got the first look at the life her daughter led.

* * *

"That was exhausting," Judy sighed as she placed the large box on the table.

"At least you got the light box," Nathan grumbled as the heavy box nearly slipped from his fingers. Judy reached around just in time to grab it. "Thanks," he said as he forced the box onto the counter.

"You know," she started, grabbing a couple bottles of water out of the fridge. "I'm surprised there's not more." She tossed one his way. He gratefully took a swig.

"What do you mean?"

"He was always into materialistic things," she explained. "We'd have the best of everything, even things we didn't need, just so he could show them off. To see how bare his house was, it was surprising."

"He's always seemed like a minimalist to me," Nathan said. "Whatever they needed and nothing more. That's why Quinn was always so happy whenever he gave her an aspirin. That was splurging." Judy sighed, ready to take an aspirin herself for the headache that formed while at Russel's place. Seeing how little Quinn actually had was heartbreaking. "There's one more box in the car. Want me to go get it?"

"Please," Judy said, casually tossing him her keys. He caught them and was out the door. She took this moment to examine her daughter's things once more. She bypassed the box of clothes knowing most, if not all, of those would be thrown out if Kurt had his way, and instead went to the box of books Nathan carried. They were all textbooks, according to him. Judy reverently traced her fingers over the covers, feeling the bumps. She picked one at random, opening it to the marked page. There were no words, no pictures, no way of knowing what Quinn studied from this book, but she closed her eyes and could easily see Quinn sitting underneath a shady tree, her fingers ghosting over the pages and her face lighting up whenever she answered correctly.

"Hey." She jerked upright when Nathan startled her. "You okay?" he asked when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"Fine," she said, putting the book down after carefully putting the bookmark back in. "Just imagining what she looks like when she's reading." He smiled.

"Hopefully you'll be able to see it soon. I was hoping to talk to you about that."

"Oh?" she asked, giving him her full attention. He deflated somewhat under her gaze.

"Don't think I'm begging for money or anything," he started, shifting uncomfortably, "because I'm not, but I was wondering if I could start tutoring her again."

"I think it's important to get her into a normal routine first," Judy started. Nathan held up his hands.

"With all due respect, tutoring is part of her normal routine." Judy closed her mouth, her protests dying. "I understand this is new for you. It's new for her too, and you're both trying to find the new normal. But getting her GED was Quinn's idea. It's very important to her."

"I think," Judy started carefully, "that this is not a discussion we should be having without my daughter."

"Thank you," he said. He paused for a second before reaching in and grabbing a book. He looked at it for a minute before passing it over. Judy took it, noticing immediately the wear that wasn't present on any other books. "The Bible. I seriously debated leaving it behind. Bible study was Russel's favorite punishment. He would make her read it for hours on end, every day. I know she hates it, but I also know her religion is very important to her and The Bible is part of that religion." Judy sighed.

"It seems there's more than one thing I need to discuss with Quinn." They both looked up when the door opened.

"Speak of the devil," Nathan muttered as Rachel pushed Quinn inside while Finn held the door open for them. "Whoa," he exclaimed when they stopped in front of them.

"Do you not like it?" Quinn asked self-consciously, lowering her head in shame.

"I love it," he said, lifting her chin with his hands. "It's totally you." She smiled brightly at him and he released her. "But now I need to go shopping. I need to find a bat and work on my batting skills."

"Why?" Quinn asked. Nathan smiled.

"How else am I going to keep the mindless hordes of young men away from you?" Quinn smiled again, this time blushing as well.

"I'll be right there with you," Finn said. "I already gave the evil eye to nearly all the guys as we were walking home."

"Really?" Quinn asked.

"Quinn," Finn said, coming to stand near the chair. He brushed her hand with his, letting her have the choice to hold it or not. He couldn't help his big, goofy smile when she reached out. "You are amazing. You have been since the first day I met you. And now, your outside just matches what we all know your inside shows. You are beautiful."

"Thanks," Quinn beamed at him.

"The makeover went well I take it?" Judy asked, wiping away the tears that fell when Quinn, her Quinn, entered that room. Quinn nodded.

"I'm not sure why, but I feel different. I mean, I can tell they cut my hair, and I can tell they styled it differently, but I really can't tell the difference in the blonde. But I feel more myself. Does that make any sense?"

"It does," Judy said. "You've always felt more at home as blonde. Even if you can't remember, your body does." She looked up at Rachel. "Where are the others?"

"Oh, they're not done shopping yet," she told them, placing her purse it it's spot by the door. "After the salon, we hit a couple of stores and found some amazingly cute outfits which will be delivered tomorrow. We were getting hungry so we decided to take in a late lunch, but by the end of it, Quinn couldn't keep her eyes open." Quinn shrugged absently. "Finn and I decided to bring her home, while the rest finish their shopping." They all looked at Quinn, who shrunk into her chair with all the scrutiny.

"Well I better go then," Nathan said, causing Quinn to perk up.

"Why did you stop by?" Quinn asked. "Did you need something?"

"Your mother and I were just discussing your tutoring." Quinn sat upright, turning her chair until she was facing her mother, she hoped.

"When can I start again?" she asked eagerly. "You're not going to take it away are you?" Nathan and Judy shared a look, and Judy sighed. It was slightly to her right, so Quinn adjusted once more, hoping she was looking at her this time, and put on her best begging face. She had only used it once on Russel, when she had first met Tobey but her father wasn't convinced, but she used it on Nathan all the time and he told her it was irresistible.

"Fine," Judy gave in almost immediately. It was hard not to when her daughter obviously wanted this so much. She turned to Nathan. "What is your schedule like?"

"I have classes in the mornings, but they're usually done by noon."

"Quinn has physical therapy every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 2 to 4," Judy told them, "and a weekly session with Dr. Evans every Monday after PT."

"I can come by for an all-day session every Tuesday and Thursday," he said, thinking aloud, "then Wednesday and Friday for a quick refresher if needed."

"That seems like a lot," Judy said, frowning slightly. "What do you mean all day session?"

"I would usually stop by after school," he explained, "usually around 1:30 and stay until one of us called it quits. Of course, that was usually Russel saying it was time for me to go."

"I think that will work," Judy said, while Quinn cheered.

"Thank you." Quinn reached out and gave her mother an impromptu hug.

"Well start Tuesday," Nathan said, glancing at Judy for the go ahead. She nodded. "That will give you all weekend to read Chapter 4." He handed her the book Judy had looked at. Quinn's fingers ghosted over the title and she nodded before looking up.

"Daddy finally gave you my things?" she asked.

"He didn't have a choice," he told her, not mentioning the fact that Russel wasn't even there that morning.

"Does that mean?" she started hopefully. He smiled and pulled a pair of sunglasses from his shirt pocket.

"Yep," he said as he gave them to her. Finn frowned as he saw them.

"Hey, aren't those yours Rachel?" Everybody stopped what they were doing to stare at the sunglasses.

"Oh my God," Rachel exclaimed, pulling them form Quinn's hand. "I haven't seen them since the wedding." They looked at each other knowingly.

"What?" Quinn asked. "No. Daddy got them for me when I was still in the hospital, before I moved to Morningside. They're the only thing that helps with the sun."

"She's right," Nathan admitted. "She has several other pairs, but none work as well as these.

"But they're…" Finn started, only to be interrupted.

"Quinn's," Rachel declared. She handed them back to the blonde. "They really bring the whole look together." Quinn smiled and immediately put them on, sighing and relaxing as soon as they were on her head. Nathan frowned.

"Quinn? Have your eyes been bothering you this whole time?"

"Just a little," she said softly, but everybody heard. There was a flurry of activity as they all tried to help at once.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Rachel asked as she got some water from the fridge. Quinn shrugged, causing Judy to sigh.

"I have some aspirin," she told Quinn, "or do you think you need something stronger?"

"I don't need anything," Quinn shook her head. "I'm fine." Judy ignored her, forcing two little pills into her hand.

"Take it," she ordered in her best mom voice. Quinn sighed but did as she was told. "Now I need you to be honest with me. Does anything else hurt?" Quinn hesitated then shook her head, but Judy wasn't convinced. "Is it your arms?" she asked, not giving Quinn a chance to respond before examining them.

"A little," Quinn reluctantly admitted. Judy carefully pushed the sleeves of the cardigan she was wearing up.

"We didn't let her hold or carry anything," Rachel said as she leaned closer to examine the bruises herself. "We wouldn't even let her transfer between chairs by herself. Finn carried her." Finn nodded as they all examined her right arm. The bruises were still fresh, and still looked painful, but they were healing nicely. They turned their attention to her left, weaker arm.

"What's that?" Finn asked quietly. The bruises Russel caused were still there, just like on her right arm, but they had been joined by a faint line that went from her wrist all the way up her arm. Judy ran her finger over the mark lightly, glad when Quinn didn't react at all.

"Does this hurt?" she asked as she repeated the process. Quinn shook her head and Judy knew this time she wasn't lying.

"Maybe it's just part of the healing process," Rachel suggested. Nobody could counter her argument.

"I'll call Dr. Mathison and ask his opinion," Judy said, "but I need you to tell me if it gets worse."

"Okay," Quinn agreed reluctantly before turning toward Nathan. "Did you bring it?"

"I did," he said, reaching into the last box and pulling out a book. He handed it to her and she squealed.

"What subject is that?" Rachel asked, looking at the cover intently. "It doesn't look like all the others." Quinn gripped the book tightly to her, blushing.

"It's not a textbook," Quinn mumbled, turning redder as she did.

"You could say it's a reading assignment for English class," Nathan said.

"You mean it's a book?" Finn asked. "A regular old book?" Nathan nodded.

"Which book?" Rachel asked. "I can get a copy and we can read it together." Quinn had stopped turning red, but it was clear she was extremely uncomfortable with the suggestion. "Nathan?" Rachel glared at him, but Quinn beat him to the punch.

"You promised you would never say," she said quietly.

"I promised I would never tell your father," he countered, which only fueled the curiosity of the others. "But I'll tell you what. As long as you try your best, I won't tell."

"Thank you," she smiled, which turned into a yawn. "Guess my power nap is wearing off."

"I'll help you to bed," Finn said, grabbing the wheelchair and pushing her away before anyone could protest. The women watched her go until they rounded the corner, then, as one, they pivoted and glared at him.

"It's nothing bad, I promise." They nodded. He looked at his watch. "I have to go. I'll see you Tuesday."

"Tuesday," Judy agreed, while Rachel went over to the giant dry erase board they had hanging in the kitchen. It was their monthly calendar, and Rachel studiously put everyone's schedules on it, in different colors for different people. Hers was gold, Santana's was red, Brittany's was yellow, and Finn's was blue. Everyone rolled her eyes when she did this, but they all let her do it. They would never admit it, especially to her, but it was nice knowing where they all were and when they would get back. Rachel debated for a moment before selecting purple for Quinn and began writing out her schedule.

"It's so annoying not having a definite end time," she said as she wrote '1:30-?' on Tuesday and Thursday. "What if I want to schedule something with Quinn on one of those days?"

"Then schedule it and that's when those days end," Judy said, smiling at Rachel's frustration. Rachel huffed, but finished.

"And what does 'as needed' mean exactly? Is he going to be here or not? How can I schedule 'as needed'?" Judy smiled, letting the Diva rant and rave as she finished filling in Quinn's schedule. She looked up when Finn came back in.

"She's asleep," he frowned, then shrugged, "or reading. Or trying to stay awake while reading but not doing a very good job."

"I'll check in on her in a bit," Judy said, reaching for her phone and dialing the very familiar number. The phone was answered immediately and Judy turned half her attention to Dr. Mathison.

"I need to go to Shelby's," Finn said, stepping behind Rachel and giving her a big hug. Rachel leaned into her husband, even as she scowled at the board. "I promised her I would go get Tobey. And I need to talk to her about Puck."

"Puck?" Rachel asked, putting down the purple marker and turning in her husband's arms. "What about Puck?"

"It's Beth's birthday next week," he said, as if that explained everything.

"Already?" Judy asked as she finished her phone call. "Time is just flying by."

"What does that have to do with Puck?" Rachel asked.

"Normally he would just crash on our couch," Finn started, "but I don't think that's such a good idea right now."

"What about Kurt and Blaine?" Rachel asked. Finn shook his head.

"Sam and Mercedes already reserved those spots as soon as they heard they were approved for the apartment."

"Are they on again or off again in their relationship?" Rachel asked with a small frown.

"Off," Finn answered, "which is why they need both the couch and the spare room."

"At least for now," Rachel muttered under her breath. Finn laughed, holding Rachel close.

"Look, I know Puck and Shelby have had some issues in the past, but he really wants to be here for his daughter. He's been saving for this trip for six months, but he can't afford a hotel room. Shelby is the only one with an extra bed right now and Puck really wants to be here. For both Beth and Quinn."

"Fine," Rachel huffed, "but if he tries anything with my mother again I will castrate him. And that's nothing compared to what I'll do to him if he hurts Quinn."

"I know and so does he. He promised to be on his best behavior." Rachel smiled and stood on her toes to kiss her husband. "I'll be back," he said when he broke the kiss a few minutes later.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Judy asked. She had gotten very attached to the dog, but with everyone out of the house she agreed that sending him to Shelby's best. That didn't mean she didn't miss him though.

"No. I think it's time Tobey and I had some alone time. You know, man to man."

"So, you're finally going to learn how to be a man?" Santana snarked as she led the rest of the group into the house. "To bad you have to learn from a dog." Rachel growled.

"Shut it Satan." Finn merely smiled as he grabbed his coat.

"I tried learning from you," he said as he moved toward the doorway, "but you just don't have the balls." Santana was speechless. Finn moved over, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek to show it was all in good fun, and left.

"Finally, someone was able to sting Satan," Kurt said once he got over his own shock. This spurred Santana on.

"I admit, I have to give props to Jolly Green with that one," she said disbelievingly. "But that does not mean I am going soft on any of you." And with that the family was okay again. When Finn returned a few hours later, he approached Santana anxiously, but she just pulled him into a rare hug.


	17. Chapter 17

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

The next few days went by in chaos. The group was still getting used to Quinn and Judy, and they were still getting used to them. But slowly everything was coming together. "Hey mom?" Quinn asked as she picked at the pasta Judy had picked up for dinner. She had finished her physical therapy session and had an hour to kill before her appointment with Dr. Evans. Judy thought about taking her daughter out somewhere during that hour, but didn't want to mess with the city traffic any more than she had too. Instead she picked up some dinners from one of her favorite places. They were enjoying their dinner in a quiet corner of the cafeteria. At least she was enjoying hers. Quinn was picking at hers.

"Yes?" she asked. She could tell something was bothering her daughter, but didn't know how to bring it up.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything." Judy waited patiently while Quinn took another bite, trying to form the question. Finally, she gave up and just asked.

"What do you do?"

"What?" Judy wasn't quite sure what Quinn meant. Quinn sighed.

"Daddy said we could never leave the house because he was a successful and powerful lawyer. He said that the evil reporters had nothing better to do than sit outside the gate and wait for him to come out to ask him questions. And they did, the few times he took me out." She stopped for a moment. "Kinda like they do whenever you take me somewhere."

"Oh," Judy exclaimed. She had tried her best to shield her daughter from the press, but some had still slipped through, especially now that the criminal investigation was going strong and certain details were being leaked.

"Daddy always said they did that because he was so good at being a lawyer, so I was just wondering if you were a good lawyer too? You never say what you do."

"I'm actually in real estate," she told her. "Do you know what that means?" Quinn shook her head. "Buying and selling land and homes and buildings. But I do that only in Ohio."

"Then you must be really good if they followed you all the way up here," Quinn said in admiration. Judy sighed again.

"That's not why they follow me," she told her. She had Quinn's full attention now.

"Then why?"

"The press," she started, only to stop when Quinn looked confused. She quickly changed. "The reporters," Quinn nodded at that, "they follow celebrities."

"So, you're a celebrity?" Quinn asked, frowning slightly at the term.

"No," Judy corrected her. "They also follow people of interest. At least they do until they settle down again."

"What's people of interest?" Quinn asked.

"Important people," Judy told her. "Your father is a very powerful man, and his treatment of you is turning into a very big scandal. They followed him around hoping they would catch him doing something bad. Now that the scandal has been exposed, they follow him around hoping to catch him doing something even worse. It's also why they've been following us. To catch us being overly emotional, catch us doing something wrong, or to see the fallout when Russel finally confronts us."

"So, they aren't here because your good at your job," Quinn asked, trying to understand, "but because of who you are."

"Who we are," Judy corrected her. "When Rachel found you and we started understanding exactly what happened, I knew the press would start."

"But you still came?" Judy smiled at her.

"You're worth it," she said, reaching over and grabbing her hand gently. "I just wish I could protect you from them. I am trying to do that."

"Why?" Quinn asked as she started picking at her pasta again. "Why do they keep yelling at me?"

"They're trying to get a reaction from you," Judy told her. "Any reaction." Quinn looked down. Judy let her think in silence, recognizing her deep thinking pose more easily. Finally, Quinn looked back up.

"Are you going to keep me in the house too?" She asked the question casually, but Judy could hear an underlying fear.

"Is that what your father did?" Judy asked casually. Quinn looked down but nodded slightly.

"He said that was the only way to protect me from them," she said quietly. "It got better when Nathan came. He could take me out without them knowing or caring." Judy sighed and moved around the table until she was next to her daughter. She pulled her into a hug.

"I will never keep you hidden away," she promised. "You can do anything you want to, even leave the house, whenever you want." Quinn sniffled. "But the press might still be there. They won't leave until the story is over."

"What story?" Quinn asked.

"Your father," Judy told her again. "You know the police are investigating him, right?" Quinn nodded. "Well their investigation is uncovering some very damaging facts about him. About the way he treated you." Quinn looked confused. "It's making the scandal much bigger than it was originally. And unfortunately, you are caught in the middle. We both are."

"What do you mean," Quinn asked, her face scrunched in confusion, "the way he treated me?"

"He made some very poor decisions for you," Judy said. They had already had this conversation once, but Judy knew she would have to have this talk over and over again before Quinn would understand. "He chose things that were in his own best interest, not yours."

"Like keeping us apart," Quinn whispered.

"Yes," Judy nodded, pulling her daughter closer. Quinn stayed there for a second before pushing away. She reached for her fork and began nibbling on her dinner once more. Judy retook her original seat, but didn't touch her food. Instead she studied her daughter. There was something else bothering her. She was about to ask when her watch beeped, signaling they had ten minutes before Quinn's appointment. "Guess we'll finish the rest after," she tried for casual as she boxed up her food, but Quinn merely shrugged as she searched for the lid to her plate. It took her a few minutes to find it, and another minute to figure out how to put it on, but she was smiling as she handed the boxed-up food to her mother. Judy bagged the food and pushed Quinn towards the elevator. Luckily the psychiatrist's office was in the same building. Amanda was waiting for them when they got off the elevator.

"Hi Quinn," she greeted cheerfully. Quinn returned the smile, but they both could tell it was forced.

"I'll just wait for you out here," Judy said, placing their food and her purse in one of the chairs. Quinn nodded, rolling forward until Amanda took over, pushing her into her office and closing the door behind her. An hour later the door opened. Amanda looked as poised as ever, and Judy was glad to see the smile on Quinn's face wasn't forced this time.

"I'll see you next week Quinn," Amanda said as she relinquished her position pushing the wheelchair to Judy.

"Bye," Quinn waived casually as they left the office. Judy could tell something was still bothering her daughter, but she didn't want to push. "Mom?" Quinn suddenly asked, breaking the awkward silence. They had left the building and were in the car halfway home.

"Yes honey," Judy said, giving her daughter as much attention as she could since she was driving.

"Are you going to leave?" Judy gasped and almost swerved into a car, but caught herself at the last second. She pulled the car over as soon as it was safe and gave her daughter her full attention.

"I'll never leave," she repeated for what seemed the millionth time. "Why would you ask?"

"You said you do real estate in Ohio," Quinn said. "If you're not in Ohio, how can you do real estate. If you can't do real estate, how can you afford to keep me? Daddy always said I cost a lot of money." Judy snarled, closing her eyes briefly, and resisted the urge to go find her ex-husband and strangle him for the thousandth time.

"Quinn," she opened her eyes to find Quinn staring out the window. "This is very important. I need you to listen to me very carefully." Quinn nodded, but didn't shift her gaze. "I do not want you worrying about money. Do you understand me?"

"But what about all the things I need?" Quinn asked. "I need a lot of help and that costs money. And what about the things Tobey needs. Are you going to get rid of him? Please don't." Quinn was crying now, and Judy reached across the seat to comfort her.

"I'll never get rid of Tobey," she promised as she pulled the crying girl into her arms. "He's part of this family for good. He's never leaving." This calmed Quinn down and she sank back into her seat. "You don't need to worry about money because I have plenty of it."

"But real estate?" Quinn started, only to be cut off by Judy.

"Is something I do because I love it," she told her. "It's not something I do because I need the money. That's why I was able to come at the drop of a hat and stay so long. If I needed the job, I wouldn't be able to do that."

"But you love it," Quinn said, confused.

"I love you more," Judy told her. "Now I'm not saying I'm crazily independently wealthy, and eventually I will have to return to my job, but I have enough to get by for a few years, even with the extra costs Tobey brings." Quinn looked up at her with tears in her eyes.

"But you love it," she repeated. "I don't want to keep you away from something you love."

"But I love you more," Judy repeated her answer. "I hope someday, when you're ready, I'll be able to go back to Ohio, back to my life there. But you're my priority. I won't go until I'm sure you're ready. Whether that's tomorrow or in ten years, it doesn't matter. Nothing in the world matters to me more than you. Do you understand?" Quinn nodded and turned to stare out the window again. Judy watched her for a minute before pulling back into the flow of traffic.

"Mom?" Quinn asked again, a couple of minutes later.

"Yes?" Judy asked, hoping whatever Quinn was going to ask wasn't as soul shattering as their last discussion.

"Did you always want to do real estate?" Judy laughed.

"No," she admitted. "When I was your age I wanted to be a lawyer. Or a legal aide, since back then very few places would accept a woman lawyer. It's actually how your father and I met."

"Why didn't you become a lawyer?" Quinn asked curiously.

"Well, we got married and started a family," she told her. "Your father never said anything directly, but we both knew we didn't want our kids raised by nannies and maids. I stayed home to play the dutiful housewife while he finished his degree and fulfilled his dreams."

"Didn't you have dreams too?" Judy glanced over to her.

"I did," she confirmed, "but they changed as soon as I became pregnant with your sister. Instead of dreaming of being a successful lawyer, I dreamed of raising a family. And I thought I was doing a good job too."

"But the drinking?" Quinn asked. Judy laughed sadly.

"I guess even back then I realized life was passing me by," she answered honestly. "Not that I have any regrets, except not being there for you like I should have been, but it's hard seeing everyone's dream come true except for yours. The drinking helped, I guess. As long as I had a drink in my hand I could pretend that I was doing right by my family. And I pretended very well, until Russel threw you out and reality came crashing down." Quinn was quiet again and Judy refocused on the road.

"Mom?" Judy almost rolled her eyes in amusement.

"Yes?" she called out casually. She glanced over and saw Quinn twisting her hands nervously. "Quinn?"

"What do I want to be when I grow up?" Judy couldn't stop the laughter from erupting out of her. She was glad when she pulled into the small parking lot the apartment complex had. She parked the car, but couldn't stop laughing. "Mom?" Quinn sounded annoyed now.

"Oh Quinn," she said when she finally calmed down enough to talk. "That's not something I can tell you. That's something you have to figure out for yourself. But I will support you in whatever you decide."

"Can I be anything?" Quinn asked, which caused Judy to sober completely.

"No sweetie," she said, grabbing onto Quinn's hand in support. "There's some things you can't do because your blind, like a race car driver or a trick sharpshooter, but there's a million other things you can do. You just have to figure out what you want and go for it."

"What if I don't know?" Quinn asked hesitantly.

"You don't have to figure it out right now," she told her daughter. "You have your whole life to figure it out. And when you do figure it out, you'll just know."

"Like you and real estate."

"Exactly." Judy was quiet for a minute as she let Quinn think. "Any more questions? Because you know as soon as we go in we'll be surrounded by well-wishers and snoops who have nothing better to do than to ask how it went." Quinn smiled as she thought about what her mother said.

"I think I'm good for now." Judy nodded and retrieved Quinn's chair from the back. She held it steady as Quinn transferred in.

"You know you can ask me anything at any time, right?" Judy checked as she wheeled her down the hallway. Quinn nodded.

"I know," she said as Judy opened the door. Quinn was pulled in by Santana before Judy could even get her key out of the lock.

"How'd it go?" the Latina asked. Quinn grinned and told them all about her day.


	18. Chapter 18

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Quinn was slowly falling into a routine. It was Saturday, and Quinn was doing remarkably well. Her PT was back on track and Adam was pleased with her progress, even if she didn't think she made any that week. Nathan had come by for his two study sessions, which had lasted well into the night. Neither of them had noticed the time pass the first night until Nathan looked up and was shocked to find the sun had set. They were studying in the living room and he was sure they would be interrupted as everyone came home after work, but when he looked back he saw them all just watching them, various degrees of amazement on their faces. He learned to set the alarm on his watch after that, since he didn't want to wear Quinn out to much.

The next day he stopped by after Quinn had her PT. He could tell she was tired and sore and felt guilty about keeping her up all night, but she promised him it wasn't his fault. He still kept their session short, only lasting an hour, before giving her a reading assignment for the next day. Quinn groaned, but did the assignment. The next day was a full day, but he made sure to have plenty of breaks for Quinn, whether she needed them or not. He was also able to include the others. Having them participate instead of simply watch him put him more at ease. Especially when Santana pulled him to the side and said he wasn't as big of a loser as she thought he was. The words were harsh, but Quinn and Nathan both knew that was how she showed her affection. He couldn't come by Friday, he had a test he had to take that afternoon, but he had given her the biggest assignment yet. Two chapters from her English textbook.

"Hey," Rachel greeted her when she rolled into the kitchen. "I thought you were in bed, reading."

"I got thirsty," Quinn shrugged as she grabbed a glass to fill with water. She misjudged the sink. Instead of the chair sliding snugly into the hole that had been cut into the cabinet, she rammed into wood.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked, but she stayed seated. She knew better than to help Quinn, unless Quinn asked or it was an emergency. They all did. Artie had taught them well.

"I'm fine," Quinn said, rolling back a bit and trying again. She hit the wood again, but this time not nearly as hard. She rolled back again, trying to adjust again, but again hit wood. "Rachel?"

"Yes," Rachel answered. Quinn looked down, ashamed, but Rachel couldn't be prouder. Quinn had gotten the basic layout of the apartment down in a few days, and while Quinn still had some trouble from time to time, Rachel didn't think she would have been as confident or competent.

"Left or right?" Quinn asked.

"Left about five inches," Rachel told her. She then watched as Quinn adjusted before sliding smoothly under the sink. Quinn quickly got her water, drinking it greedily before gently putting the glass in the sink. Quinn pushed back, turned, and carefully made her way to the table, stopping next to Rachel.

"Where is everyone?" Quinn asked.

"At work mostly," Rachel answered. "Judy took Tobey over to Shelby's to meet their new puppy. I thought she told you this before she left?"

"I forgot," Quinn admitted, looking down.

"It's okay," Rachel said, reaching over to put her hand reassuringly on Quinn's shoulder. They knew that Quinn had trouble remembering certain things. The doctors had warned them when they offered their home to Quinn, but hearing it and experiencing it were two completely different things. And while Rachel's heart broke every time Quinn repeated her questions, she would gladly answer them a million times over if it brought her friend back.

"Um Rachel?" Quinn asked hesitantly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Rachel immediately agreed. "You can ask me anything."

"Your place is amazing. It's almost like it's custom made for me, but daddy said he had to change things before I could come back home, and it's nothing like this place." Rachel snorted. Russel Fabray's idea of changing things probably meant moving a chair out of the way. "So, I was just wondering why this place fits me so well."

"That is a long story," Rachel said, "one that I am more than happy to tell you provided you eat some breakfast." Quinn nodded. Ever since she got here they all were telling her she needed to eat more. Her doctors agreed, and Quinn tried, but she just didn't have much of an appetite. Quinn knew that a decreased appetite was normal for people in her situation, but that didn't stop them from trying to fatten her up. "I can make some pancakes."

"Sure," Quinn agreed. Rachel jumped to her feet and Quinn heard the clatter of pots and pans being put on the stove.

"So, there I was in Lima, graduating High School. Kurt and I both applied to NYADA and our plans were taking off. Since Finn and I were married, we couldn't get a traditional dorm, so we decided to split an apartment with Kurt. Not this place, but someplace smaller. It was all fine, we were still riding the high of making it to New York so anything was like a palace to us. At least until Santana came barging in out of nowhere."

"You didn't know she was coming?" Quinn asked. Santana seemed so at home here that Quinn was surprised when she found out she was from Ohio too.

"Not a clue," Rachel said as she dished up the pancakes. She made some for herself too. She stopped while she set the plates on the table and got butter and syrup from the fridge. "Milk or juice?"

"Milk I guess." Rachel nodded and poured two glasses of milk and brought them over. She handed Quinn's over to her and watched as her friend organized her meal.

"You good?" Rachel asked. Quinn nodded so Rachel continued. "So, there we were, four people in what was essentially a single bedroom apartment. It was still small, and we were getting less fine by the day. That much closeness really tests your limits. Santana was going off on us almost every day, and when she wasn't Kurt was. I tried to keep the peace, but there were some days when even I couldn't handle it, and Finn tried to be peace keeper for all three of us. In the end, I think we all stormed out more than once, not to mention we nearly came to blows several times. We knew we needed to find a bigger place. And we found one, but it was in a very bad part of town."

"Here?" Quinn asked, enthralled.

"No," Rachel shook her head. "It was in Queens. It was horrible. There were always fights starting. We heard shots more than once. We were robbed a couple of times, not that we had many nice things at the time. Once, a drunk old man almost managed to get inside, convinced we were in his house. We knew we couldn't stay there, especially not when Brittany and Blaine joined us, which we all knew they were going to after they graduated. Brittany is so pure, she wouldn't have survived that place. We decided to buck up and save as much money as we could until then, because we really couldn't afford anything else. Finn was working any odd job he could get, but there was nothing reliable back then. Kurt and I were in school, and while our families helped, they couldn't pay for everything. Santana got a job at a bar, which she really didn't like but it was a paycheck. Eventually she moved up to a diner, and pulled enough strings to get me and Kurt a job too."

"I thought Kurt had a job at that fashion place," Quinn interrupted.

"He did," she told her, "but at the time he was working as an unpaid intern. But finally, we were able to start saving money. And we started searching, but nothing felt right. Blaine was coming here to go to college, and his family would help him financially whenever they could, but Brittany's family was struggling to stay afloat. Brittany didn't want to go to college, she knew she wanted to be a dancer even before then, but there was no guarantee that she would be making any money either, so we were stuck with what we had. This place opened up, which seemed perfect, but there was no way we could afford it on our current budget. Until we got a call."

"From who?" Quinn asked, leaning closer to the table.

"Mrs. Abrams," Rachel said. "Artie's mom."

"Artie?" Quinn bunched her face up in concentration. "His name sounds familiar."

"We've talked about him," Rachel told her, "he just hasn't been able to get up here to see you yet. He's trying to find time, but his schedule is so hectic it makes mine look calm." Quinn snorted. Rachel was always rushing around from place to place. This was the first time she had been somewhere long enough to really talk. "Anyway, he's a member of our Glee Club, one of the original members in fact. He was in an accident when he was young and it left him paralyzed from the waist down."

"Like me," Quinn looked down.

"We don't know that for sure yet," she reminded her. Quinn nodded. "Artie always loved performing, but the chair really limited him. Instead of focusing on what he lost in the accident, he focused on what he could do instead. He still performed with us every chance he got, but he leaned more toward directing. He was so good he was accepted into NYU film school, which is very prestigious. But he was nervous and scared, so scared he convinced himself that he didn't want this, or more importantly that his mom didn't want this for him."

"Why?" Rachel shrugged.

"It's scary moving on for the first time in your life, even if you don't have a disability like he did. But it's ten times scarier when you do. Luckily, his girlfriend at the time saw through him. She told his mom, who confronted him. They eventually convinced him to follow his dreams, but his mother really worried about him. She knew Kurt and I were here and thought if Artie joined us it would work out best for everyone. Artie would have us a safety net, and in return she would cover the remainder of the rent, which was more than his share. She had money set aside from the insurance payoff for this so it wasn't a financial burden for her. We were able to modify it to his needs, and we've never looked back."

"Did he come?" Quinn asked. Rachel nodded.

"For a couple years," she said. "It was an educational experience living with someone with his type of disability. None of us were really close to him in school, aside from Glee of course. It really opened our eyes, how much people in his situation can still do. We also learned when to help and when not to help."

"Which is why you're letting me bump into things instead of helping?" Quinn asked, a smile on her face.

"You'll never learn if we do everything for you," Rachel answered. "But that doesn't mean we won't help if you ask. You do know that, right?"

"I don't want to need help," she said, bowing her head.

"I know, which is why we'll let you try on your own first." Rachel was quiet for a minute. "Anyway, he realized New York is much more Broadway and he was much more Hollywood. He transferred to UCLA and has been doing great. He graduated with honors and is the directing the second unit of a big Hollywood hit right now, but he can't tell me which one. That's why he can't fly out right now."

"Did you think about moving again after he left? I know it can't be easy living in a place build for a wheelchair when you don't have one anymore."

"We thought about it," she admitted as they finished their breakfast. Rachel cleared the table as she talked. "But by then we had enough money coming in that we could afford it, without the help of our parents. And something told me we would need it, so we stayed."

"Wow," Quinn said as she rolled into the living room. Rachel followed behind her.

"Is your arm still bothering you?" Rachel asked, when Quinn moved from her chair to the couch.

"No," Quinn quickly told her. Almost too quickly. Rachel frowned.

"Is that why you're not reading like I know you want to?" Quinn would prop the book up on her left arm while she read. Quinn sighed.

"It hurts," she finally admitted. Rachel rose and grabbed some aspirin. Quinn took them without complaint, which told the Diva more than anything how much pain Quinn was in. She lifted Quinn's left arm carefully, but even that small action brought a hiss of pain. She frowned when the line going up her arm was more pronounced now.

"You need to get this looked at," she said, tracing the line with her finger. Quinn hissed and pulled away.

"Dr. Mathison looked at it yesterday," she said, cradling her arm tightly to her body. "Adam called him. He wants me to get another scan done. Another test."

"Then you should," Rachel insisted but Quinn shook her head. "That is not healing Quinn. If another test can tell us what's wrong then we can fix it."

"I don't want to!" Quinn screamed. "I don't want to be poked and prodded. I want to be normal. Just for a little while."

"Okay," Rachel backed down, but secretly decided to talk to Judy about this. "If that's what you want." Quinn calmed down. She looked around uncertainly. "Was there something you wanted?"

"I need help," Quinn admitted, reaching to her wheelchair and pulling the books on tape Rachel got for her out from between the cushions. "I want to listen to it, but I don't know how."

"I can show you," she offered. Quinn nodded quietly and Rachel showed her where the stereo was. She showed her how to insert the discs and play them. Then they both relaxed on the couch and listened as the book came to life, only stopping when Judy called them. Rachel answered the phone, and after a quick conversation came over to Quinn. "That was your mom. She wants to know if you would like to go over to the dog park? Tobey and Mack are going to officially have their first play date."

"Mack?"

"Beth's new puppy. Apparently, he's too cute to stay indoors when the weather is still nice outside. So, do you want to go?"

"Yes," Quinn started reaching for her wheelchair before remembering something. "But I don't know how to get there on my own."

"Don't worry," Rachel said. "I'll take you. But you need to get ready first. Do you need help?"

"Umm," Quinn thought about it. She had gotten ready before, but that was always with her mom or a nurse ready to step in. Was she ready to do it on her own? "Can I try?" she asked quietly.

"Sure," Rachel agreed.

"I might need help," Quinn said as she found her chair and climbed back in.

"I will make myself available for any and all help you may or may not require."

"What?" Quinn asked as she started pushing herself to her bathroom. Rachel smirked.

"Go get ready," Rachel simplified things. "And if you need help just shout." An hour later they were approaching the dog park. Quinn's eyes lit up as she slowly pushed herself. Rachel knew it was because she heard Tobey, though she couldn't see him yet. Sure enough, a few minutes later when they were able to push through the crowd of people, there was a black and brown dog watching them approach. "Quinn?" Rachel asked, scanning the park critically. She had spent more time here than she ever believed possible when she was searching for Quinn, but never really looked at it until now. "It doesn't look like there are any paved walkways in there. How do we get the chair in?"

"We don't," she answered simply. "There's a parking lot with some benches and bike racks at the entrance. Nathan would usually carry me to the bench but keep the chair locked to the bike rack. At least until Tobey did his things."

"Things?" Rachel asked as they drew closer. "What things?" Quinn laughed.

"You know," she giggled, "number two's. Poop. You did bring bags, right?"

"Bags?" Rachel asked. "Do you mean to tell me we are expected to pick up Tobey's poop?"

"And Mack's," Quinn nodded. "Nathan always had to do that. I would, but it would look pretty strange for me trying to find the poop."

"It would," she said as she waved to Judy and Shelby. Tobey was still waiting patiently by the gate, while a cute, little puppy chased his tail. Shelby whispered something to Beth, who nodded, before they both started toward them. "I am a Broadway star and I am picking up dog poop."

"Sorry," Quinn said. "I know it's not glamorous."

"Are you kidding?" Rachel asked. "It's what biographies are made of. I can picture a whole chapter about this. How about 'Down with the Dogs' or maybe 'Digging in the Dirt'? So many possibilities." She was running though ideas in her mind when the two older ladies made their way over.

"Rachel," they greeted. "Quinn. You two ready to play?" Quinn nodded, but Rachel frowned.

"Actually, is it okay if I stick this one out? I don't want my shoes to get ruined. And someone needs to stay with the wheelchair since we didn't bring a bike chain with us to tie it up. Maybe you can help me watch it Judy?"

"Sure," Judy frowned, sensing something was up. "Let me just take Quinn in." Quinn held out her arms.

"Mom. I got ready on my own," she smiled proudly. "Well, almost on my own. I forgot a towel for the shower and I couldn't quite get my pants on so Rachel helped with that, but aside from that I got ready on my own."

"That's wonderful sweetheart," Judy told her as she effortlessly lifted Quinn into her arms. Shelby led the way, opening the gate and making sure the dogs didn't run out while Judy carried Quinn over to a bench. The same bench where Rachel found Quinn. Beth came over and they soon started playing with their dogs. Judy made sure they were all set before she came back over to Rachel. "What's wrong?"

"Her arm," Rachel said. "It's getting worse. The line is more pronounced and when I lightly rubbed my finger against it she hissed and pulled away. And she took two aspirin without any complaint." Judy looked up at that one. Russel had conditioned Quinn to never take medication unless he said she earned it. It was one of his rules they were slowly overcoming, but Quinn still protested whenever they tried to give her any sort of pain relief. To willingly accept two pills without protesting told them how much pain she was really in.

"I know," Judy sighed, sinking onto a bench. "Dr. Mathison wants to do an MRI of it but Quinn's refusing."

"Why?" Rachel asked. "It's not like they haven't done every test they could think of since she's been found. I know they did an MRI before."

"They did," Judy agreed, "and it terrified her. They had to sedate her in order to finish the scan. But there's no way they can sedate her this time since she needs to prop her arm up a certain way and move it during the scan."

"But she needs it," Rachel protested. "Can't you make her do it?"

"Legally, yes," she said, "but then I would be no better than Russel." She watched her daughter for a minute before turning to the Diva. "I promise her I wouldn't make her do anything she didn't want to, and I'll stand by my promise. Now if Dr. Mathison deems it medically necessary to do the scan, that's something my conscious can live with, but until that time it's her decision to make."

"Can you at least talk to her?" Rachel asked. "I hate seeing her in pain."

"I'll talk to her," Judy agreed. Rachel nodded. "Now come meet Mack. We might be seeing a lot of him, since according to Shelby, it's our fault she had to get a dog. That also means if she needs a dog sitter our names are at the top of the list."

"But what about the chair?" Rachel asked sincerely. It may just be a generic wheelchair, but she knew anything not chained up would be stolen, even if they were a few feet away. Judy reached around the back of the chair and into a pocket Rachel never knew existed. She pulled a bike chain from inside the pocket and secured the chair in seconds. "Fine," Rachel relented.

"Come on," Judy urged. "Let's meet the newest member of the family." Rachel let herself get pulled into the dog park. And she secretly loved every minute of it.


	19. Chapter 19

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Puck looked around casually as he got off the train. He waved before he hefted his overnight bag over his shoulder. "Finn!" he called out through the crowded terminal.

"Puck," Finn greeted as soon as he pushed his way through the crowd. Puck had managed to get a few feet away from the train so he wasn't blocking the people leaving, so he had no problem dropping both his bags as Finn came up and gave him a bear hug. "You look good man."

"You too," Puck said as they broke apart a few minutes later. Finn reached for the overnight bag while Puck shouldered his backpack again. They talked casually as they made their way from the train and into the subway system. They were lucky and caught the subway train just as it pulled into the station. "So how are things going back in Lima?" Finn asked as they found seats on the almost empty train.

"Pretty good," Puck told him. "My pool cleaning business is really starting to grow. I even have real contracts with businesses that have indoor pools. I never really thought of it as a real business until I got my first contract, you know. Until then, it was just something to make some money and get some cougars. Now, it's real work. I'm even thinking of expanding. Adding landscaping and yard maintenance and snow removal during the winter."

"That's great," Finn said, happy for his friend.

"I'm even taking some college classes," Puck said proudly. "I'm not enrolled or anything, but they have programs for business owners who want to get some basic computer skills. It was just a three-week course, but now I can spreadsheet with the best of them. I even know what a spreadsheet it."

"What is a spreadsheet?" Finn asked as they got off the train and started walking to Shelby's apartment.

"It's a way to keep track of information, like who pays and who doesn't," Puck told him. "It can do some other stuff too, with math and stuff, but I'm not that good yet.

"That's still pretty awesome," Finn said as they arrived at the apartment. He knocked lightly. A minute later the door was opened by Shelby.

"Hey boys," she greeted them. Beth came running into the room, clearly in the middle of getting ready for bed.

"Puck," she greeted, throwing herself into his arms. He picked her up and spun her around a few times before putting her back on the ground and squeezing tight.

"Beth. You've gotten so big. Pretty soon you'll be the one to swing me." She laughed.

"Come on," she said, pulling him by the arm toward her room. "I want you to meet Mack."

"Mack?" he asked as he followed her. Finn smiled at Shelby.

"How did she convince you to get a puppy?" he asked.

"Blame Quinn," she answered, "but she is pretty good with him. Let's just see how long she lasts." Finn nodded as Puck and Beth came out of her room. He was holding a tiny bundle of fur.

"You have a puppy?" he asked Shelby. "It's gonna make my present look lame."

"What is it?" Beth asked excitedly, but Puck shook his head.

"Not telling. And no peeking." Beth pouted but Puck just shook his head. "And the lip is not gonna work this time." Beth continued pouting for another minute before huffing.

"Fine," she said, reaching for the puppy. Puck gave him up without a fuss.

"It's still someone's bedtime," Shelby reminded them. Beth looked guilty.

"Fine. I'll go." She walked over and gave Shelby a kiss on the cheek, followed by Puck and Finn. "Goodnight."

"Night," the adults echoed after her. Once she was back in the bathroom Shelby looked at the two boys.

"Now what trouble do you two have in mind?" she asked. Whenever Puck came to the city, he and Finn always managed to find trouble. But it was never much trouble and they had a good time so everyone just teased them about it.

"We're just gonna hit a couple of local bars," Finn said. "We shouldn't be gone all night."

"Okay," Shelby said as she handed Puck her spare key, "but if Beth sees you drunk off your ass you will be finding another place to stay. And don't you dare bring a woman back with you. Clear?"

"Clear," Puck agreed. He turned to Finn. "Shall we?" Finn nodded and they left the apartment. Twenty minutes later they were sliding into a booth at one of their favorite restaurants. They both ordered burgers and were nursing beers while they waited when Puck looked to Finn seriously. "How's Quinn?" Finn sighed.

"Not too good." He took a swig of his beer. "Something is definitely wrong with her arm, she can barely move it now, and she's in so much pain."

"Why don't the doctor's do something?" Puck asked.

"They want to," Finn told him, "but she won't let them. The most she has let them do were a few blood tests and a cursory look. Not enough to tell us what's wrong, but at least we know some of the scarier things have been eliminated. It's not blood poisoning or any type of infection." Finn couldn't stop the shiver that wracked his body at that thought.

"What about Judy?" Puck had paled as well and Finn knew he wasn't the only one worried about losing Quinn again, for good this time. Finn shook his head.

"She keeps trying to convince Quinn to see the doctor, but Quinn refuses."

"Can't she make her go? She is her mother."

"She can," Finn told him, "and if it gets much worse she will, but she promised Quinn she would never make her do anything she doesn't want to do."

"Why?" Puck asked as the waitress brought their food. "If she's hurting and they can make it better, why doesn't she make Quinn go?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Finn admitted, "but it has something to do with being different from her father. Russel never gave her any choices, always decided everything for her. Judy's trying to show Quinn that she's different, but that's all Quinn has ever known."

"So it will continue until one of them breaks," Puck said, taking a bite of his burger and grabbing some fries.

"Pretty much. Judy's watching her like a hawk, we all are, and the first sign that this something more serious she's taking her in, but until then we can only watch." They were quiet as they ate before Finn spoke up. "I need your advice."

"What up?" Finn sighed.

"I'm getting fired," he admitted. "Or downsized or cutback or something like that, but it sure feels a lot like getting fired."

"That sucks," Puck said. "How can I help?" Finn took a deep breath then started explaining.

"The official line is the company is getting downsized. I've been there for over three years so I have seniority. Not much, but some. A couple of the guys below me are not getting fired. I talked to my union rep when I heard about that, and he said that legally they cannot downsize me and keep someone with less seniority. He said that I can fight to keep my job."

"Then do," Puck said, until he noticed the look on his friend's face. "You don't want to, do you?" Finn shook his head.

"I don't like it at Yellow Cab. I took the job because we needed a steady income and I was good at fixing cars, but I hate it there. The management heard I talked to the union and they are offering me a nice bonus to go away quietly. Ten thousand dollars." Puck whistled.

"That's a lot," he said.

"I know," Finn agreed, "I can either take the money and leave, or fight for a job I hate, but is still a job. I don't know what to do?"

"Do you need the money?" Puck asked as the waitress cleared their empty plates and brought them another beer. "The steady job money not the bribe money."

"I don't know," Finn admitted. "Rachel, Santana, and Brittany all have money coming in, but they all work in the arts. Those are notoriously unreliable. They can all have amazing incomes one year then nothing for the next year."

"Let me ask you this," Puck said, taking a sip of his beer. "If money wasn't an issue, what would you do."

"Quit," Finn said without thinking. "But then there's looking for another job and I'm not really good at anything else."

"So find something you're good at, something you love, and embrace it. The others did and look how it's working out for them."

"They all knew what they wanted to do with their life," Finn said miserably, "I still don't."

"Then take some time and figure it out," he told him. "I know I went all crazy when I graduated, trying to be everything that I wasn't. I went to California trying to figure out who I was, but I didn't have to support anyone but myself, and even that was iffy at times."

"But you went back to Lima," Finn said.

"But it was my choice," Puck said. "I could have stayed in L.A., but I realized I am too badass for the big city." They both laughed for a minute before Puck turned serious. "I realized the only person I wanted to prove myself too was Beth. I wanted to be a father she could be proud of, even if she never saw me again. I kept thinking, 'What if Beth turned up on my doorstep? Would she be proud of me?' And my answer in L.A. was no. I tried my best, but there are a million of guys just like me down there, and a million more better than me. The only way for me to get any attention down there was to cause trouble, and I knew Beth wouldn't be proud of that. So I chose to come back to Lima, where I am just as badass but much more noticeable. I picked up where I left off with my pool cleaning business, but I started treating it like a real business instead of an after-school activity. Is it glamorous? No. But I'm paying my rent and my bills and putting food on the table. And I still have some free time to work on a band, help out my expanded family, and even help Mr. Schue out in Glee. And, most importantly, if Beth ever knocked on my door, I know she would be proud of me."

"That's great," Finn said as he paid the check and they left. "I'm so happy for you. And proud."

"Look, all I'm saying is don't give up on your dreams. I always thought my dream was to be a big rock star with millions of fans just waiting to fall into bed with me, but I realized my real dream is to just be someone Beth's proud of. It took me a long time to realize that. Talk to Rachel, this is a big decision. If you need to man up and look for another job, it's okay. But maybe you'll be able to figure out what your dream is."

"Thanks Puck," Finn said as they approached Shelby's apartment. "Thanks for listening."

"No problem. That's what bro's are for." They stopped at the door. "Want to come up?" Finn shook his head.

"Naw, I better get back. Rachel should be back soon and I think we need to talk." Puck nodded before timidly asking.

"Can I come over tomorrow? I really want to see Quinn."

"Sure. She has PT tomorrow so it will have to be a little late. Come by around 5." Puck nodded and headed into the apartment building. He quietly inserted the key and opened the door. It was just after midnight. He changed for bed and brushed his teeth. A few minutes later he was asleep.


	20. Chapter 20

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"What the hell do you think you're doing Puckerman?" Santana asked as she came back from work.

"It's called cooking," he said as he gave the pan a shake. "Perhaps you've heard of it?" She growled as she headed over to the kitchen.

"It smells good," she told him, before poking him in the ribs. "It better not be poisoned."

"Hey, something smells good," Rachel said as she and Finn got home. She walked over and gave Puck a quick kiss on the cheek and a hug. "What is it?"

"Stir fry," he announced as he uncovered the pan holding sizzling steak. She frowned. "Don't worry Jew babe. I got some vegan meat substitute thingies for you."

"I thought we were ordering in?" Finn asked.

"You were, but then I thought why not show my appreciation for everything you do by cooking for you. I've been practicing at home and you had everything for this."

"Thank you, Noah," Rachel said, giving him another kiss. He smiled, turning back to his cooking as Brittany entered the room.

"Is it time to eat yet?" she asked. "Lord Tubbington is about to go on a hunger strike if he doesn't get some stir fry soon."

"Almost Brit," Puck said. He realized everyone in the house was watching him cook. Well, almost everyone, but then he heard the door open once again. Judy pushed in Quinn, who was looking a bit worse for wear. She held the door open for a big, black and brown dog to follow them in before closing it again.

"Hello Puck," Judy greeted him as she pushed Quinn toward the kitchen. Quinn perked up hearing the name.

"Puck?" She reached out her hand. He moved next to the wheelchair, kneeling next to it and grabbing her hand. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Don't believe anything they say," he told her, "unless it was cool, then totally believe it." Quinn laughed.

"May I?" she asked, moving her hand up toward his face but stopping short. He nodded, but then realized she couldn't see him. Instead he took her hand and placed in on his face. She gently traced his features then smiled. "It's nice to meet you."

"I hope you don't mind that I cooked," he said, returning to the stove. "I know it's probably not as fancy as anything you could have ordered in, but I just wanted to show you how thankful I am to have you as my friends, my family. And to show off my awesome cooking skills."

"It smells wonderful," Judy said. "Can we do anything to help?"

"It's almost done," he told them, "but you can set the table. Get the drinks organized." Everyone sprang into action. The table was set in minutes and soon Puck was bringing out the dinner. "I have chicken and steak," he said, pointing to the two large bowls, "and some weird tofu thing for Rachel. And Brit made the salad."

"It wasn't hard," she said as she started dishing out some chicken stir fry. "I just opened a bag and poured it into the bowl." Everyone laughed as they enjoyed the meal, but Quinn put her fork down after a few bites.

"Quinnie?" Judy asked.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It's really yummy, but I'm just not hungry."

"That's okay," Puck grinned at her. "It keeps pretty well. Doesn't taste too bad out of a microwave either." She smiled at him before frowning. She started rubbing her temples before hissing and putting her left arm back down.

"Do you think I can take a bath?" she asked softly, looking down the whole time.

"Sure," Judy answered for the group. "Do you need a hand?" Quinn nodded shamefully. She tried pushing back from the table, but didn't have enough strength in her left arm and ended up swirling into Santana, who was sitting next to her. The Latina quickly grabbed her before she could much damage, which caused Quinn to start crying softly.

"Hey, none of that. It's okay Q," Santana soothed. Quinn was nodding, but the tears were still coming. Judy came over and wordlessly pushed Quinn toward the master bathroom, Tobey following behind obediently. They ate quietly as they heard the water running, then Judy returned.

"Will she be okay?" Puck asked. "Does someone need to stand outside the door to make sure she doesn't drown or something?"

"Tobey's with her," Judy said, returning to her food.

"Tobey?" Puck asked.

"Her dog," Finn told him. "Her seeing eye dog. He's very protective of Quinn. If there's a problem, he'll let us know." Puck looked unconvinced, but everyone started eating again so he did too. "Hey everyone," Finn unexpectedly stood up. "I have an announcement to make."

"What is it Finnocence?" Santana asked.

"I'm quitting my job." The whole table turned silent as everyone turned to stare at him. "Well, not exactly quitting. I'm being laid off, with a nice lump sum so I won't cause trouble."

"What?" Santana almost yelled.

"I've thought a lot about it, and I've talked it over with Rachel. I hate it there and only took the job for the money. I decided I'm not going to fight them. I'll just take the money and go quietly."

"What will you do?" Brittany asked. Finn shrugged.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. He shared a quick look with Puck. "Maybe I'll be able to figure out my dream. And until I do, I figured I could be a househusband. I can keep this place neat, help look after Quinn, and maybe even learn to cook myself. But don't worry. If we ever need a steady paycheck again, I'll get a job. Even if it's one that I hate." Rachel was beaming.

"I am so proud of you Finn. You supported us while we reached for our dream, it's only fair that we do the same for you."

"The Diva is right," Santana told him, "you need to go for your dream. I'll support you every step of the way. But in the mean time you better be taking some notes from your best friend. Your first dinner better taste as good as this stir fry does." Brittany came up to hug him and afterward he looked at Judy.

"I hope I'm not overstepping," he said. "I know I should have talked to you about helping with Quinn before I said anything."

"It's fine," she admitted. "I'll actually appreciate the help. I love my daughter, and I will always be here for her and put her first, but she doesn't need me like I thought she would. And as inspiring as it is to sit and watch her read, it does get a little boring after a while. I've been thinking about finding something else to occupy my time. The only reason I haven't done it yet was Quinn needed someone to be available at all times."

"I can be available," Finn said. "Between the two of us we should be able to live a dream and find one and still be here if she needs us."

"Between the two of us?" Santana argued. "Don't you mean between the five of us? No offense Puck, buy you're on the outside of this particular conversation."

"None taken," he said as they all started bickering good naturedly about who would do what for Quinn while they finished eating. They were still bickering when dinner was finished and they packed away the leftovers, but it had moved beyond Quinn and into life in general. The bickering stopped when a single bark was heard from the master bathroom.

"I'll go," Judy said as the talking stopped. Fifteen minutes later she was pushing Quinn into the dining room. "Do you want anything more to eat sweetie?"

"No," Quinn said, rubbing her eyes tiredly with her good arm.

"Do you have a headache?" Brittany asked as she climbed onto her lap.

"Yeah," Quinn reluctantly admitted. Judy pulled a bottle of pills from her purse and handed her two. Quinn took them without complaint. A minute later she rubbed her eyes again. "Do you think you can hand me my sunglasses?" Santana nodded and a second later she placed the sunglasses in her hand. Quinn forced a smile as she put them on, but she couldn't help the sigh of relief once they were on.

"Do you need anything else?" Rachel asked. Quinn shook her head.

"Just keep talking. It was nice just listening to you." Talk resumed, but Quinn found it hard to focus. The headache would just not give up, and she found it harder and harder to keep her eyes open. "I think I would like to go to bed now." Judy stood, but Puck beat her to it.

"Do you mind if I help you?" he asked. She looked unsure but nodded. Puck grabbed the chair and followed Judy into Quinn's room. Judy started rooting around the dresser, pulling out some pajamas before turning to Puck.

"Do you think you can give us a few minutes?" Judy asked quietly. Puck's eyes got big as he realized she was going to help her daughter change and he quickly turned around.

"Sure," he said as he stepped out of the room. "Just let me know." Judy agreed and he walked slowly back into the dining room. The talk stopped as soon as he entered.

"How are you holding up?" Finn asked knowingly. Puck shook his head.

"Not good. Seeing her like that…" he trailed off. Everybody nodded in agreement. "Does it get better?"

"Yeah," Brittany told him. "Spend some time with her and get to know her again. She was an amazing person before, but now she's a unicorn."

"She really doesn't remember anything?" he asked. Finn warned him about that last night, but he thought as soon as they met everything would come crashing back for her.

"That's debatable," Rachel spoke up. "She certainly can't remember things if she tries, but when she's not trying things will just slip out. Things that Quinn would only know from before."

"And she does remember you," Santana told him softly, "she just can't pull up the memories. When she gets a headache and rubs her eyes like that, that's her mind's way of letting her know she should remember you."

"Just don't push," Rachel warned. "When she tries too hard she has these episodes, which are no fun to watch, let alone to experience."

"Nothing helps but the sunglasses," Brittany added.

"Speaking of them," Puck changed the subject, "weren't they the ones I gave you when we were dating?"

"If by dating you mean that one horribly awkward attempt to get in my pants freshman year where I turned you down completely, which led to the 'let's break up but still be friends' mall crawl where you stole them as something to remember you by, then yes." Puck grinned.

"I knew you kept them," he said smugly. Rachel shook her head.

"Only in the bottom of my bag," she told him, "where they stayed for two years. I was emptying my bag for the wedding when Quinn approached me. She had just been accepted back onto the Cheerios and already had her uniform on. I have no idea how she changed so quickly. It was right after we won Regionals, she must have gone straight to Sue's office. We talked and she asked if she could still come to the wedding. I was so excited, I babbled the entire way to the parking lot. Her sunglasses broke as she was taking them out of her purse, so I gave her those. And then…" she trailed off.

"Quinn says Russel got them for her when she was in the hospital right after the accident," Finn spoke up, "but we think they were one of the few things that survived the crash. He was probably looking at them when she woke up with the sun in her eyes and the rest is history."

"But the sunglasses really help with her headaches?" Puck asked.

"Her eyes are still very sensitive to light," Judy told him, coming back into the room, "so the sunglasses do help with that. Otherwise it's just mental." She stopped in front of Puck. "She's ready for you now." Puck nodded and headed over, but she caught him around the arm. "Just don't push," she warned.

"I know. Finn warned me." She nodded and let go of his arm, but followed him to the bedroom. "Hey Quinn," he said softly as he stood in the doorway. Her eyes blinked sleepily as she smiled at him, her good arm raising up in invitation. "You look damn good girl."

"Thanks," she said, blushing slightly as he made his way over to the bed. She patted it lightly and he took a seat. "You know, I've heard so much about you the past few days I feel like I know you already. But when I heard your voice for the first time, the feeling was nearly overwhelming."

"Are you okay?" he asked, panicking slightly. "I can go if you need me to. I can go and never come back if that's what you want." She smiled woozily.

"No. I want you to stay." He slumped his shoulders in relief. "I'm just confused. When I first met the others I had strong feelings toward them, feelings I didn't understand. They helped me learn I was feeling friendship. Is that what I'm feeling with you?"

"We'll always be friends Quinn," he told her truthfully.

"But there's more isn't there," she asked, rubbing her eyes gently. "I have only felt this way once before, with Beth." Puck felt tears fall at their daughter's name. He reached for her good arm and brought her hand up, kissing it gently.

"We started out as friends, but things happened. Good and bad. We both made mistakes and we both did good things, but along the way we became family. Closer than family."

"Like everybody else in Glee Club?" she asked sleepily.

"Yeah," he told her, reaching over to run his fingers through her hair the way she liked. "But we're much closer because they didn't go through everything that we did. You and me against the world."

"Hmmm," she sighed contentedly. His caresses were slowly putting her to sleep. She snuggled deeper into the blankets, hissing when she accidentally brushed her arm.

"Sorry," she said, moving from his embrace to brace her arm better, "I'm not usually this tired this early. I think the aspirin mom gave me must really be working." He glanced back at Judy in time to catch her sheepish expression.

"Why don't you let the doctors take a look at your arm?" he asked, turning back to her. "I know it's bothering you and I hate seeing you in pain."

"They've looked," she said dismissively. "They want me to get a test done. I can't remember what it's called, but they put you in a tiny hole and have big, noisy equipment flying all around you. It's scary."

"But if it helps wouldn't it be worth it?" She shrugged. "What if I came with you? I'd hold your hand through the whole thing, or as much as they'll let me, then afterwards we can go do something, just the two of us."

"Like a date?" she perked up slightly. "Blaine said he would take me on a date, but I think he forgot."

"You mean for Rachel's last show?" Puck asked. "He told me about that. That's not for two months."

"Oh," Quinn said, which turned into a yawn. Puck leaned over and gave her a kiss to the forehead.

"Just think about it okay? I hate to see you in pain." She nodded, already halfway asleep. He tucked her in gently, stroking her hair until she was deeply asleep, then turned and left the door. Judy was waiting for him out in the hall, along with the dog he saw earlier. He stopped when he saw them and the dog wasted no time approaching, sniffing him appraisingly. "Tobey?" he asked Judy. She nodded and he reached out his hand slightly. He passed whatever test Tobey was doing. The dog licked his hand then made his way to his spot on Quinn's bed.

"He likes you," Judy said as they made their way out of the bedroom area and back to the kitchen.

"Doesn't he like everyone?" Puck asked. "Isn't he a service dog?"

"He's very protective of Quinn," Judy explained. "He almost bit a reporter that got to close the other day. Luckily Santana was there to hold him back. The poor reporter almost wet himself."

"It was awesome," Santana added. "I wish we could just set him loose on them." Santana glared at him. "You talk to Quinn about her arm?"

"I tried," he told them. They were all worried about her arm, and they had all tried to convince her to go, but so far no one had any luck. He clapped his hands together. "So whose up for some bar hopping? What do you say Finn? We can go trolling for some ladies." Finn held up his hand, his wedding ring shining brightly. "Okay, you can be my wingman. I already cleared it with Shelby. As long as we're not out all night long she said it was fine." Finn looked over at Rachel pleadingly. She rolled her eyes.

"Fine," she relented, "you two boys go have some fun.

"Thanks Rach," Finn said, giving her a big kiss before he was pulled away by Puck. Rachel turned to Santana and Brittany.

"What do you say to a girl's night? We can watch a movie and give ourselves makeovers." Brittany clapped excitedly. Santana rolled her eyes.

"Fine, but I swear to God if you pull out 'Funny Girl' I will go all Lima Heights on your ass."

"What if I pick the movie," Brittany said, heading over to their movie collection before the other two could say anything. "How about this one." She handed over a movie to Santana, who rolled her eyes but put it in the machine.

"Whipped," Rachel said when the opening scene of 'Funny Girl' started playing.

"Shut it," she warned as Brittany came back in with a big bowl of popcorn. The three girls fell onto the couch, chatting quietly as the movie played. "You joining us Mrs. F?" Santana asked, seeing Judy watching them from the kitchen. Judy thought for a minute before smiling.

"I think I will," she said, moving over to the recliner. She waived away the popcorn and basked in the family atmosphere. The movie was just about to end when Tobey started barking loudly. Judy jumped up and raced into her daughter's room, followed by the other three. Quinn was having a nightmare, sweat and tears pouring down her face, twisting around as much as she could and jostling her hurt arm with every movement.

"Tobey. Here." Brittany called from the doorway as Judy, Rachel, and Santana rushed into the room. The dog barked again before licking Quinn on the face. He was obviously trying to wake up the distraught girl but having no luck. "Tobey!" Brittany commanded again. The dog looked back at her before relinquishing his position. He didn't leave the room though. He and Brittany stayed in the doorway and watched the others try and help.

"Quinn," Judy talked quietly as she climbed onto the bed. Rachel and Santana rushed to the left side of the bed, trying their best to protect her weak arm. They tried putting pillows around it, but Quinn would just knock them off with her thrashing. Eventually they just grabbed hold of her hurt arm and held on, wincing every time she cried out but knowing this was the best option. "Quinn," Judy tried again, pulling her daughter's resisting body closer to her. She cradled her daughter with one hand, the other stroking her hair as she tried to break through the nightmare. "It's okay Quinn. You're okay. I'm right here." She continued the mantra, Rachel and Santana doing the same, for what seemed like hours. Finally, Quinn calmed down, though she didn't wake up.

"Do you think it's over?" Rachel asked as she cautiously lifted herself off of Quinn's hurt arm.

"God I hope so," Santana said, stretching her back. She looked behind her and grabbed the pillows from the floor. "Lift up her arm," she instructed. Rachel quickly did as asked and Santana gently placed Quinn's arm on the cushion. Not gently enough though. Everybody winced when Quinn whimpered. Rachel looked around and found the other pillows, intent on creating a protective barrier, but before she could grab the pillows off the floor Tobey was there. He jumped up on the bed, one paw on each side of her arm with his head gently resting over it. His big eyes were trained on Quinn, watching every move she made intently.

"What kind of medication did you give her?" Rachel asked.

"Some PM medicine," Judy said, frowning slightly. "Dr. Mathison recommended it. Painkiller plus something to help her sleep. He hoped it would help her get a good night's sleep. I don't think we'll be taking any more of them."

"Ya think?" Santana growled from the other side of the room. Judy sighed as she held her daughter close. She held her for another few minutes before reluctantly moving her back to the bed. Quinn whimpered slightly. "It's okay Quinn. You're okay." Santana took up the mantra again, reaching over and running her fingers through the now golden strands of hair. Quinn calmed down again.

"We can't leave her alone tonight," Rachel said. Santana nodded but before she could say anything Judy spoke up.

"I'll stay," she announced. "Can you girls just stay with her while I get ready for bed?" They nodded and Judy reluctantly left her place at Quinn's side. Brittany quickly took her place. Judy watched them for a minute before retreating to her own room. She shut the door just as the tears started to fall. She let herself cry for a few minutes before pulling herself back together. She quickly completed her nighttime routine before reentering Quinn's room. The girls looked up at her knowingly.

"Are you okay Judy?" Rachel asked timidly. Judy shook her head.

"No," she admitted, "but I will be." They all nodded, they were each feeling the same way. "Help me move her a bit," she told them, approaching the bed and climbing in. Tobey jumped down as Rachel and Santana carefully moved Quinn over enough for Judy to climb in. Once Judy was safely in the bed, the girls began cushioning Quinn's hurt arm once again. Tobey took this time to head over to Judy. He stood up, his front paws on the bed as he looked at Judy intently. "I'm okay Tobey," she said, reaching out to scratch behind his ears. He watched her for another minute before leaning over and licking her cheek. Then he jumped down, circled the bed, and jumped back up, resuming his careful position as he again watched Quinn.

"I suppose we better let you two get some sleep," Rachel said after a minute. Santana and Brittany nodded and left the room. "If you need anything, just call." Judy nodded. Rachel watched for another minute before leaving as well. The three of them paused in the hallway before heading to their own rooms. No one would be getting much sleep tonight.


	21. Chapter 21

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Quinn woke up slowly. Something wasn't right. She didn't bother opening her eyes, there was no point to that anyway. Instead she tried to figure out what was different. Her arm felt like it was on fire, but that was how it always felt nowadays. She wouldn't complain though. She was secretly worried if she complained they might send her back to her father. She didn't know why that thought terrified her so much. Hadn't she spent over five years with no one but her father? She shrugged as she cast the thought aside. She would worry about that after she figured out what was different.

She smiled when she heard the distinctive breathing pattern of Tobey. She felt his hair tickling her bad arm, even threw all the fire. She loved having him on her bed, something that her father expressly forbade. She went to pet him with her good hand only to freeze completely. Somebody was in bed with her. That's what was different. She was completely unprepared for this situation. "Quinn?" She heard her mother's voice and sighed in relief. Her body completely relaxed as she realized who was with her.

"Mom," she slurred slightly, not completely awake yet. She felt Tobey lift his head and lick her cheek. Her mom moved enough so she could move her hand and pet him. "Why are you in my bed?"

"You had a pretty rough night last night," Judy said, shifting around so she could watch her daughter. "Do you remember?"

"No," Quinn shook her head, eyes scrunched in concentration before giving up.

"It's probably for the best," Judy said, giving Quinn a tight hug. Quinn could tell from the hug how scared Judy had been. It explained why Judy had spent the night in her bed, but not why Quinn got so much comfort from it. While Quinn had gotten used to people climbing in bed with her, and even people in bed with her when she fell asleep, this was the first time she had woken up with someone in bed with her. She went to hug her mom back when something woke her up completely.

"Mom," she said in a shaking voice. "I can't move my arm."

"What?" Judy asked, wide awake now as well. "Tobey. Down." The dog jumped down obediently. "Try again." Quinn nodded, her eyes now open wide. Judy watched as Quinn was able to lift her arm maybe a half an inch before it fell into the pile of pillows.

"Mom?" Quinn asked tearfully. Judy hugged her close.

"I know you don't want to do the MRI," Judy started, but Quinn interrupted.

"I'll do it," she said. "Puck convinced me. I was going to tell you today."

"Thank God," Judy whispered, her eyes closing in relief. "I'll call the doctor."

"And Puck," Quinn added. "He promised he'd be there."

"And Puck," Judy agreed. "I'll be back. You try and get some more sleep." Quinn nodded as Judy pulled away. She padded into the living room, searching for her purse. "Morning Blaine," she greeted as she found her phone.

"Morning," Blaine watched as she made a call. He handed her a cup of coffee when she finished. "You look like you need this."

"Thank you," she said, drinking the beverage greedily. She downed half the cup before she put it down. "Not that I don't love seeing you, but what are you doing here?"

"Rachel called," he explained. "She said Quinn had a rough night and asked if I could come over and just be available." She picked up the cup and finished the cup. Blaine quickly refilled it. "It looked like Quinn wasn't the only one who had a rough night. The entire group looked like zombies."

"Where is everyone?" Judy asked, not used to seeing the apartment empty.

"Work," he told her. "I don't have to be in till later, so I said I could stay."

"That's sweet. Thank you." Blaine smiled at the compliment. "What about Finn? Isn't he working nights?"

"He is officially accepting Yellow Cab's offer to terminate their working relationship," Blaine told her. "He wanted to go in first thing to figure out exactly what that entails. No one's ever been fired like that so no one was exactly sure what would happen." Judy nodded. She had never been fired either, not that she needed to work. "Now, I know I'm nowhere near the cook that Kurt is, but I can manage scrambled eggs and toast."

"That would be wonderful." She smiled at him when her phone suddenly rang. She quickly answered. She listened intently for a few minutes before thanking them and hanging up. "That was Dr. Mathison. They can get Quinn in at 11."

"The MRI?" he asked. "She agreed to it?" Judy nodded. "Thank God," Blaine said, reaching for his own phone and sending a group text. Judy looked to the clock.

"I better get Quinn ready." Blaine nodded as Judy went to the bedrooms. He started pulling out everything he would need for scrambled eggs when he heard the sound of paws on the hardwood floors. He looked behind him. Tobey was waiting at the door, his leash in his mouth, staring at Blaine.

"You need to go out?" Blaine asked knowingly, as he put the eggs he just pulled out back into the refrigerator. Tobey barked and put the leash in Blaine's outstretched hand. Blaine leashed him up, grabbed the bags, and seconds later they were out the door. Luckily for them, this apartment complex was pet friendly and had a small patch of grass where dogs could do their business. They even provided garbage bins for pet waste. Tobey quickly relieved himself and within minutes they were back in the apartment. Blaine washed his hands and set about making breakfast again. He had just finished the eggs and pulled the bacon off the stove when Judy pushed in Quinn. "Hey," he greeted, raising his eyes questioningly when Judy was almost completely soaked. She shook her head.

"Something smells good," she said as she wheeled Quinn over to the table.

"It's just eggs," Blaine told them reservedly as he dished up a plate for Quinn, "but I did manage to find some bacon in the back of the refrigerator." Quinn's eyes lit up at the word bacon, which is what Blaine was hoping for. He put three strips on her plate and placed it in front of her.

"Thanks Blaine," she said as she felt around for her fork. Blaine frowned when he realized she was only using her right hand, her left lying limply on her lap. He looked up at Judy, who again shook her head.

"No problem sweetie," he told her as she found her fork and started attacking the bacon. "It's nice to cook every once in a while. And you know Kurt doesn't let anyone near his kitchen. Do you want juice or milk?"

"Juice please," Quinn said as she struggled to cut the bacon with just one hand. Eventually she just gave up, grabbing the meat between her fingers and nibbling on it until it was gone. Blaine filled a cup with orange juice and placed it on the table.

"Are you okay for a minute if I go freshen up?" Judy asked her daughter, standing behind the wheelchair and putting her hands on her shoulders. Quinn nodded. Judy leaned down, kissing the top of Quinn's hair before standing up straight. "Call if you need anything." Quinn nodded, but she was already focusing on the second strip of bacon. Blaine watched her for a second before following Judy out of the room.

"What happened?" he asked as soon as they were out of earshot. Judy sighed.

"She couldn't move her arm at all this morning," she told him wearily. "She could barely lift it and couldn't move any of her fingers. That's when she agreed to the MRI. I didn't think too much about it until it was time to get her ready. She couldn't even get out of bed on her own. It was like the last month had never even happened. She was completely helpless. She couldn't even hold herself up in the shower. Which is why I ended up taking one too, except I was still in my jammies."

"That explains the wet clothes," Blaine tried to joke with her. But Judy was crying now.

"All that time she never complained. I know she was in pain, she took some aspirin without any fuss, but she never complained. I realized that must have been how she behaved with Russel. Never complaining. Always accepting what little he gave her. And it broke my heart."

"Hey," he said, pulling her into a hug, even though it meant getting wet. "It's okay. She's okay." He held her as she cried, only pulling away when her cries subsided. "She survived. She's here with us now. And we will never let him get his hands on her again."

"But it's too late. He already broke her."

"Then we'll put her back together again. All of us." Judy looked unconvinced. "You said she took the medicine without prompting?" She nodded. "That's progress. She would have never done that with him."

"You're right," she smiled at him. "I'm just being silly."

"There's nothing silly about seeing your child in pain," he told her. "Now you better get going. We have to leave soon if we want to be at the hospital by 11."

"Right," Judy turned to go into her room before she turned back to Blaine. "Can you do something for me?" He nodded. "Can you call Puck and tell him about the hospital? Quinn really wants him there."

"Sure," he said, pulling out his phone as he walked back toward the kitchen. He finished the call quickly and watched Quinn finish the last piece of bacon. "There's eggs too," he said, causing Quinn to jump a little. "Sorry. I thought you heard me."

"I guess I'm just a bit unfocused right now," she said, taking a few bites of the eggs before pushing the plate away.

"Done already?" he asked, sitting next to her.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It tastes great, but I'm not really hungry."

"Ah," he said, getting to his feet. "There's more bacon, but if you're not hungry I guess I can eat it."

"No," she reached out blindly toward him. "I am hungry. See." To prove her point she grabbed her fork and ate some more of the eggs. "Just put the bacon down."

"Okay," he said, laughing at her antics. "But I get a piece and we really should save some for your mother."

"She doesn't like bacon," Quinn said before rolling her eyes. "Fine. She can have one piece."

"One piece of what?" Judy asked, joining the group. She was showered, dressed, and ready to go. "Never mind," she said as she saw Blaine dangling a piece of bacon in front of Quinn. "You can have my piece as long as you promise to finish all of your eggs. There's not that many left."

"Deal," she said, grinning like a madman. She tried lifting her plate up, but couldn't find the right balance with just one hand and nearly tipped it before Blaine snatched it up. He grumbled loudly as he laid all the bacon on the plate, including his own. Judy knew it was just for show. They would gladly give her all the bacon she could eat. She was still way to thin. He placed the full plate in front of her and they watched as she attacked the bacon again, this time stopping between slices to eat some eggs. Judy nodded approvingly before dishing up her own plate. Blaine found Tobey's dog bowl and quickly found where they put the food. He poured some food into the bowl and placed it on the ground. Tobey quickly moved over and started eating. Blaine watched him for a minute before he started to tidy up the kitchen. He wouldn't have time to do the dishes, but he could at least get them soaking and clean up the counters. He had just finished putting everything away when all three of them finished at the same time.

"Weird," he mumbled under his breath. Judy looked up curiously before noticing the time.

"We have to get going in a few minutes. Quinn? Do you need help brushing your teeth?" Quinn nodded silently and Judy pushed her toward the bathroom they shared. "Blaine, do you think you can get Tobey ready to go out? His vest is on the coat rack."

"He gets to come with us?" Quinn asked excitedly.

"I see no reason to keep him home," she told her honestly. "Unless you don't want him to come."

"I do, I do," Quinn said happily. Judy smiled at her.

"I don't think he'll be able to go into the scanner with you, and that would probably freak him out, but I think he can wait with you just fine."

"And Puck?" Quinn asked nervously.

"He said he'll meet us there," Blaine said, "but he might be a few minutes late. He was looking up subway stops when he hung up, but he doesn't know that area all that well. He promised he'll be there though."

"He'll be there," Quinn reassured herself, as Judy pushed her into the bathroom. She fixed her toothbrush and handed it to her before brushing her own teeth. Soon they were ready to leave. Blaine moved Quinn from her chair to the backseat of Judy's car, Tobey climbing in after her. Judy rolled her eyes at their antics as she popped the trunk and put the chair in.

"Are you sure you don't mind coming with us?" Judy asked as she and Blaine got into the front.

"It's fine," he told her again. "I don't have to be at rehearsals until 3, and I'm much closer at the hospital than I am at home so I don't have to leave so early. I don't mind waiting with you."

"If you're sure," Judy said, starting the car. Blaine nodded once again and she carefully pulled out into traffic. The traffic was horrible, as it always was in New York, and they made it to the hospital with very little time to spare. Blaine once again transferred Quinn before picking up Tobey's leash and following behind them. The receptionist looked up when they entered, her eyes widening in recognition.

"Dr. Mathison is running slightly behind schedule," she said as she took in Quinn's form, then Judy. "We have a room available for you to use if you don't want to wait here."

"We'll take the room," Judy told her, as several more people turned to stare at them when they realized who was there. Other people were pulling out their cell phones, trying to take a picture.

"Of course," the young receptionist responded. She called over her shoulder at one of the nurses, who immediately recognized what was going on. "Nurse Bennett will take you back."

"Thank you," Judy replied gracefully as they started following the kindly older nurse. She led them past the double doors, where security staff was standing guard to keep everyone out who didn't need to be there.

"What about Puck?" Quinn asked. "He won't know where to find us."

"I'll go get him when he comes," Blaine said, sharing a look with the nurse. She nodded her head. "I'll just tell him to text me when he gets to the lobby." Quinn nodded and was silent as the nurse led them to an empty room.

"Feel free to use the bed if you want, I know the chairs aren't that comfortable," she told them. "You'll have to eventually change into a gown for the MRI, but like Susan told you, Dr. Mathison is running a bit behind schedule. I know he wanted to examine your arm a bit closer now that you've agreed to the procedure." They nodded and the nurse left them to wait in peace.

"Do you want to get on the bed?" Judy asked. "You still look a bit tired."

"No," Quinn said, holding out her good hand. Tobey moved to put his nose in it. Quinn petted him slowly. Judy sighed and started digging through her purse.

"Here," Judy handed her the rope toy she pulled out. Quinn took the toy, confusion showing on her face. "Just not to rough. We are in a hospital." Quinn smiled and held the toy to Tobey. He quickly grabbed the toy and started the game of tug of war. Quinn laughed as he started pulling her around the room in her chair, she had forgotten to set the brakes, but Blaine and her mom kept her from running into anything. Whenever she lost her grip, Tobey held the toy up for her until she grabbed it and they started again.

Quinn was so lost in the game she didn't notice Blaine slip away or return with Puck. Tobey did though. He dropped the toy to come sniff the newcomer, making sure he wasn't going to hurt Quinn. "That looks like fun. Can I try?" Puck said, announcing his presence to the blonde.

"Sure," Quinn said, holding out the toy. He took the rope toy and held it out to Tobey. Tobey stared at Puck for a few minutes before going over and biting the piece of rope. He looked at Puck once more before giving the toy a giant tug.

"Whoa," Puck said, letting go of the toy as he nearly hit the floor. Tobey stared at him before heading back over to Quinn. He handed her the other end before they started their game once more. "I swear he wasn't that gentle with me," he complained as Quinn lost her grip. They watched as the dog once again gave the rope back to Quinn.

"You weren't the one he wanted to play with," Blaine said knowingly. Puck nodded as they watched the two of them play. He looked up when the door opened. Dr. Mathison arrived with Nurse Bennett right on his heels. Judy stood up, ready to stop the play session, but Dr. Mathison held up his hand. He watched Quinn critically as she played with Tobey.

"Hello Quinn," he said after watching them for about five minutes. Quinn looked up, the smile falling off her face at the familiar voice.

"Hello Dr. Mathison," Quinn returned the greeting, letting the toy slip from her fingers. Tobey tried to give it back, but she wouldn't take it.

"Tobey," Judy called. Tobey glanced between her and Quinn before trotting over calmly. She held out her hand for the toy and he willingly gave it to her. Judy made a face at the slobber, but put the toy back in her purse. Tobey laid down at her feet, watching Quinn intently.

"Let's take a look at your arm, shall we?" Dr. Mathison said, trying to stay as cheerful as possible. Quinn nodded, trying to raise her arm and eventually lifting her left arm with her right hand. She winced when she did this. "May we," he asked, reaching for her arm even before she nodded. Nurse Bennett manipulated the arm following Dr. Mathison's instructions while he made notes in her file. Quinn never cried out, but they could see her wince several times and she had tears running down her face before they were through. Finally, he was done with his exam. Nurse Bennett carefully laid Quinn's arm back in her lap. "Can you move your fingers at all?" Quinn shook her head. "How about your wrist?" Quinn nodded and slowly moved her wrist a fraction of an inch. "That's good," he told her, making the last notations in her file before closing it. "Now, I know you hate wearing the fashionably challenged hospital gown, but it is company policy." Quinn giggled at him, all the pain forgotten. "Do you need help changing?"

"Yes," she admitted shamefully. "Mom? Can you?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Judy said. She took the gown from the nurse.

"Just hit the call button when you're ready," Dr. Mathison told her. "Nurse Bennett will come take you to the scanner."

"Doc?" Puck spoke up before he had a chance to leave. "Is it alright if I go with her? I promised I would be with her every step of the way." He gazed at the young man critically. He had met all her friends when she was at the hospital, but he was a stranger. He looked to Judy, who nodded before pushing Quinn over to the attached bathroom.

"Fine," he agreed, "but you must promise to do exactly as we say. And of course, you will not be permitted to be inside the room when the scanner is active. Nobody is allowed at that time."

"That's okay," Puck readily agreed to the terms. "I just promised to be there every step of the way that I could. I don't want to break a promise to a lady, you know." The doctor nodded. A few minutes later Quinn was changed. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Quinn said. Blaine stepped up to her.

"I have to stay here with Tobey, but I'm thinking about you," he told her, giving her a quick hug. She returned it.

"Thanks," she said, reaching over to scratch Tobey behind the ears. "I'm ready." Dr. Mathison nodded and led everybody else out of the room. Blaine sat down and pulled out a magazine, Tobey laying forlornly at his feet. Two hours later the group came back into the room. Quinn was smiling brightly with a slightly dazed look in her eyes.

"Are you high?" Blaine asked. Puck grinned.

"As a kite," he said, "but it's medicine, not drugs."

"Dr. Mathison gave her something to help her relax," Judy said, pushing Quinn to the bathroom. She helped Quinn change back into her regular clothes. It took significantly longer because Quinn had no interest in helping. By the time they came back out Judy was irritated. "Puck, why don't you take Quinn out on that date you promised her?"

"What?" Puck looked slightly panicked, but Quinn looked excited.

"Yeah," she slurred, "we can walk down Central Park. You can show me where the pigeons come from then we can go canoeing in the lake. Then you can buy me dinner."

"Maybe not the canoe," Puck said, grinning slightly, "but everything else is possible." He turned to Judy. "What time do you want her home?"

"The drugs will start to wear off around 6, so no later than 7," Judy said, "but she'll probably crash before then."

"Got it," Puck said. Quinn giggled.

"Do you mind if I tag along?" Blaine asked. "My rehearsal is closer to Central Park then here. It will get me one step further."

"Sure," Quinn giggled. "Puck can give you some tips for our date." Blaine's eyes widened.

"That would be great," he told her, handing over Tobey's leash to Judy, "but I think it might be the other way around. Get ready to be schooled Puckerman."

"You're on," Puck said. They started arguing about the best place in Central Park as they left. Dr. Mathison raised his eyebrows.

"Will they be okay?" he asked as he watched them go. Judy nodded. "Then we should go to my office. The results should be there and I think we have a lot to discuss."


	22. Chapter 22

AN: I'm sorry about the wait on this. I planned to post Tuesday, but life got in the way. I hoped to make it up by posting extra long chapters, but these are some of the shortest chapters in the story. But on the plus side, this is the halfway point. And hopefully I will be able to get back to a regular posting schedule.

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Noah Puckerman, you are an inconsiderate mongrel!" Rachel shrieked as soon as Puck opened the door. Puck raised his finger to his mouth then pushed the wheelchair into the room. Rachel immediately quieted down, but she still shot angry death glares at the mohawked man.

"I texted you," he told her softly as he pushed Quinn into the living room. "I told you we would be late."

"Late is ten minutes," Rachel hissed. "Late is we're on our way but traffic is bad. It's almost midnight. We passed late hours ago."

"Why didn't you answer any of our calls?" Santana fumed from beside the couch.

"What calls?" Puck asked before turning sheepish. "My phone is on vibrate and in my jacket pocket." They all looked at the sleeping girl in the chair. His leather jacket was wrapped around her frail body. "She was cold," he said softly.

"I'll put her to bed," Judy said, walking over to her daughter. She gently removed the jacket and handed it to Puck. Quinn groaned but didn't wake. Puck quickly fished his phone out of his pocket, grimacing at the number of missed calls and texts he had.

"Shit. There's some from Shelby. She probably locked me out of the apartment." He quickly typed out a reply as Judy pushed Quinn out of the room. The group watched her go until she rounded the corner, then they turned their fury back onto Puck.

"What took you so long dude?" Finn asked, trying to help his homeboy out but finding it nearly impossible to defend his actions to the girls. "Blaine said you were just gonna walk the park when he left."

"We did," he said, looking up from his phone. "It was awesome. Quinn was having such a good time. I was telling her my idea for Beth's day out and her birthday party and Quinn wanted to get her a present. And then we found this huge outdoor flea market going on. It was like a sign. We spent some time looking for a gift and were just about to give up and get a stuffed animal when we found it."

"What?" Brittany asked. Puck didn't answer. Instead he opened a bag and pulled out a book. He passed it to Brittany, who ran her fingers over the bumps before passing it onto Santana. "There's no name. Do you know what it is?"

"No idea," Puck admitted, "but Quinn was different after she found it. She was happy and sad at the same time. After I paid for it I said it was time to start heading back and she got really sad, so I asked if there was something else she wanted to do. She said yes, but she wasn't sure what that was yet, so we started walking again. That's when I sent the text. So, we walk around some more. I see her shivering and I knew whatever the Doc gave her must be wearing off so I wrapped my jacket around her and asked if I should take her home. She shook her head and said she figured out what she wanted to do."

"What?" Rachel asked, nearly hanging on his every word.

"She said she wanted to watch the sunset." Santana smirked, moving over and slapping him upside the head.

"You know she's blind, right?" she challenged.

"Hey," he protested, rubbing his head where she slapped it. "I know, but she was so hopeful. I couldn't say no. So, I found us a good spot by the lake and we just sat together and watched the sunset. When it was completely dark, Quinn thanked me and said I could take her home then. She fell asleep before we even left the park. I didn't want to wake her getting in and out of a taxi, so I just walked here."

"And you never thought to tell us about your plan any time throughout the night?" Rachel hissed. "We were here worried sick about her. We thought Russel grabbed her again."

"Not all of us," Finn interjected. Rachel glared at him.

"You know I would never let that happen Jew babe," Puck told her. "I love Quinn, as much as I love all my girls. I would die before I let anything happen to anyone here." He smiled that charming smile of his and Rachel felt the fear she had been carrying around leave her.

"I'll forgive you this time," Rachel told him, giving him a quick hug. "But next time you let us know."

"Deal," Puck told her. His phone chirped. "But right now I have to go. Shelby said she'll give me a half an hour before she locks me out."

"Here," Brittany handed him his coat.

"Remember we're having dinner tomorrow," Rachel told him as he put his coat on. "Mercedes and Sam are getting into town so it will be later."

"What time?" Puck asked, stopping by the door.

"Their flight gets in around five," Rachel told him. "Kurt said he and Blaine would drop off their bags and head right over, so figure around six with dinner at seven."

"I'll put it in my calendar," Puck smirked. Santana rolled her eyes as she pulled Brittany's arm and led them toward their bedroom. "Goodnight everyone."

"Night," they echoed back as they all headed for their bedrooms.

* * *

Quinn groaned as she opened her eyes. Her arm was killing her. She knew it wasn't a good idea to stay out so late last night, but there was just something about Puck that she craved. She was definitely paying for it today though. Her arm felt like it was on fire, and she hadn't even tried to move it yet. "Don't." She jerked at her mother's voice, not expecting anyone in her room.

"Ow," she hissed, closing her eyes against the pain. Judy sighed.

"That's what you get when you stay out all night," she told her, "but this will help." She put a pill into Quinn's good hand. Quinn shook her head.

"I don't deserve it," she protested. Judy sighed.

"No," she corrected her, "you didn't deserve it when you stayed out all night, despite knowing I would be worried sick about you. But this morning it's medicine. Just like the other medicine you take every morning and evening. Doctor's orders." Quinn nodded and let her mother help her sit up to take the pill. "Why did you stay out all night?" Judy asked once Quinn was laying back down.

"I don't know exactly," Quinn told her. "Puck just made me feel normal I guess."

"Normal?" Judy asked lightly. Quinn blushed.

"Not just normal," she tried to explain her feelings, "but special. It's like we have a deep connection. I can't figure out what that is, but I want more of it. Then it was nice to just be like everyone else and have a normal night out on the town."

"Oh Quinnie," Judy said, brushing her fingers through the blonde hair. "I want you to have a normal night out, I really do, but please let me know next time. I was worried sick."

"Sorry," Quinn mumbled, before gathering her courage and looking towards her mother. "What did Dr. Mathison say?"

"You need surgery," she said quietly. Quinn nodded. She had felt that would be the only solution when her arm didn't get better like it should have. "Do you remember when we talked about your arm not healing properly?" Quinn scrunched her eyes together for a minute before nodding slowly.

"Kinda," she admitted. "I can't remember exactly what you said but something didn't go back like the doctor hoped they would."

"Right," Judy praised. "Enough of the muscles went back so you could use your arm, but it was always weaker than the other." Quinn nodded. "When your father grabbed you the other day, he tore some of those muscles again. Some were ripped off immediately, others were weakened and started to fail later."

"That's why it just got worse and worse," Quinn said.

"Right," Judy agreed. "Dr. Mathison will reattach you muscles to you bones to help them grow together again."

"How long will I need to stay in the hospital this time," Quinn asked gloomily.

"Not long," Judy told her. "A few days to make sure there's no complications, then you get to come right back here with us."

"Promise," Quinn asked desperately.

"Promise." Judy leaned over and gave Quinn a kiss to her forehead. "Now the doctor said you're on bedrest until the surgery, so you can stay in here or go to the couch."

"Couch please," Quinn said, pulling herself into a sitting position. "Can you help me get ready?"

"Sure," Judy said, moving the wheelchair closer. "He also sent home a special sling to help support your arm so the muscles that are still working get a break. He said you need to wear it from now until the surgery."

"When is the surgery?" Quinn asked, trying to be brave.

"In two days," Judy smiled at her as she helped Quinn brush her teeth. They both decided a shower was unnecessary.

"Two days?" Quinn asked, frozen in her chair. "But that's Beth's birthday. What about her party?"

"We'll have to miss it," Judy told her, trying to sound cheerful. "It wouldn't be any fun for you anyway. Her party is at a fun center. All her friends will be there. It will be loud and chaotic and she'll be having too much fun to have any time for us."

"I guess," Quinn shrugged as her mother got her dressed.

"But that's why she's coming over for dinner tonight," Judy said happily. "So we can have our own birthday party for her. Everybody's coming."

"Everybody?" Quinn asked excitedly. Judy nodded.

"Beth and Shelby. Kurt and Blaine. Even Mercedes and Sam."

"And Puck?" Quinn asked, excitement ringing through her voice.

"And Puck," Judy confirmed as she tried to figure out the sling. "Now hold still. They showed me how to put this on but there's still a lot of straps. Quinn nodded, holding as still as possible. She couldn't stop her hiss when the sling put her arm in an uncomfortable position. "Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?"

"It's okay. It just hurt for a minute, but it actually feels better now." It really did. Once the initial pain faded, her arm felt a bit better in the new position.

"Come on. It's breakfast time. And I hear a couch calling your name." Quinn giggled as her mother got her into the chair once again.

"Can I finish listening to the book Rachel got me?"

"Sure," Judy said as she pushed Quinn over to the couch. "Let me just get you settled then I'll start it while I make breakfast. How do pancakes sound?"

"They would sound better with a side of bacon," Quinn said innocently, but she was smirking the whole time. Judy rolled her eyes.

"Don't you mean bacon would sound better with a side of pancakes?"

"Yeah," Quinn nodded her head vigorously. Judy laughed.

"Coming right up," she said, handing her the remote for the stereo before heading into the kitchen. It took Quinn a couple of minutes to remember how to work the stereo, but soon she was listening to her book. They ate their breakfast on the couch, Brittany joining them since she had a day off, and settled in for a nice afternoon. Santana eventually emerged from her room and sat with them for about ten minutes before getting a text. She growled and headed out.

"That's it," she almost yelled when she walked back into the apartment a few hours later. "I can't take it anymore."

"Take what?" Rachel asked. She and Finn got home right after the Latina.

"Those damn books," she said, glaring at the Diva. "That's all I hear anymore. Every second of every day those books are blaring out of our stereo instead of music. And it's all your fault dwarf."

"Wait," Brittany held up her hand. "We're listening to books? I thought we were listening to Tobey's inner thoughts." Santana huffed and approached the couch.

"Look Q, I'm glad you got your reading back in some form, and I'm beyond glad that you're not limited to textbooks and bible study any more, but that does not mean I want to hear it every second of every day."

"I'm sorry," Quinn said, fumbling with the remote as she instinctively made herself smaller. "I'll stop. Please don't be mad." Everyone was glaring at her, but she just shrugged them off.

"I'm not mad," Santana said, reaching out and grabbing her hands, which were shaking, "but I don't want to listen to it anymore."

"I won't," Quinn said, still staring down at her lap. "I'm sorry."

"Which is why I got you this," Santana said, holding out a small package to her friend. Quinn stopped trembling, her face turning up in wonder as she felt the package.

"What is it?" Quinn asked breathlessly. She opened the box and felt around inside.

"An Ipod," Santana smiled. "And I already have it loaded with the books you're reading now, plus some that I know you like, plus some I know you wanted to read, plus some that Brit likes so we can all sit down and read together." She was about to say more when Quinn reached up and pulled her in for a hug.

"I can't believe you'd do this for me," she said, tears coming down her face.

"It's what besties do," Santana shrugged. "But I'm serious about having enough. If I hear a book coming out of that stereo any time in the next two weeks I'll go all Lima Heights on your ass." Brittany couldn't resist coming in for a group hug, although she shot a glare at her girlfriend.

"It isn't nice to tease her San," she grumbled. Santana shrugged.

"It might not be nice, but it was fun. Besides, now she'll have something to keep her occupied in the hospital. I don't think they'd appreciate moving our stereo to her room."

"Thank you so much," Quinn said, beaming. "Can you show me how to use it?"

"Sure," Santana said, pulling the box out of Quinn's hands. "This is a special Ipod, which is why it took a while to get it here. All the menus and options are spoken, and it has speech access so you can just tell it what to play. There's a microphone attached to the earbuds." She pulled the earbuds out and handed them to Quinn, then showed her how to attach it to the Ipod. Then she put one of the buds in her ear while showing Quinn how to put them in her ear. Soon Quinn had mastered how to turn the device on and off and how to play her books, but she still had trouble selecting the book to play. "If you need help just ask, but I think you'll get the hang of it soon enough," the Latina said, pulling out her earbud and looping it around Quinn's ear.

"Thanks Satan," Quinn hugged her again impulsively. "This is great."

"Well, it's more for my sanity than your pleasure, but you're welcome. Now we have about two hours before our guests come so you should be able to finish this chapter." Quinn nodded happily, putting in the other earbud and sinking into the couch, a big smile on her face. Santana turned and glared at the group who was watching from the kitchen. "Nobody say anything," she warned. All their smiles dropped from their faces as they found something to do with their hands. Smirking, Santana headed to her room to get ready for dinner.

"That was very thoughtful of you Santana," Judy told her, following her to her bedroom.

"Yeah, well don't mention it," Santana said as she pulled out various clothes from her closet before looking at them and putting them back. "Like ever."

"Of course," Judy said. "Thank you." Santana glared at her, which Judy took as her cue to leave. She closed the door and turned around, coming face to face with Brittany. "Ooh," she said in surprise as she almost ran over the tall blonde. "Hello Brittany."

"Hello," she said cheerfully. "Don't be mad at Santana or anything. She really cares, she just shows it in different ways."

"I know," Judy reassured her.

"Most people just don't understand that when Santana glares at you and smacks you upside the head it's her way of saying hello."

"I know," Judy repeated. "Was there something you needed?"

"Not me," Brittany shook her head then held up the pile of fur in her arms, "but Lord Tubbington needs to get on his party clothes. He was going to boycott the party, since it wasn't for him and he's so selfish, but then Tobey talked some sense into him and he's agreed to come. So now he needs to decide what to wear."

"That's nice," Judy said, long since used to Brittany's strange rambles. "I'll just leave you to it then," she said, stepping around the blonde. Brittany nodded and headed into her room, the door closing behind her.


	23. Chapter 23

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Judy shook her head as she headed back to the living room. Quinn was still on the couch, her eyes closed. Judy couldn't decide if she was listening to her book or dozing, the pain medicine Dr. Mathison had prescribed had drowsiness as a side effect, but Judy decided to let her be and headed into the kitchen instead. "Can I help with anything?" she offered.

"Can you cook?" Finn asked from his place by the stove. "Kurt left instructions but I have no idea how to do some of these things."

"Not really," Judy admitted. "But I can start the wine cooling."

"About that," Rachel said, grabbing the bottles of wine before Judy could reach them, "Kurt said this dinner needs wine to accompany the entrée, but I think he failed to consider your circumstances. You are still good if we drink wine, right? I know these last few weeks have been trying and I would understand if you're uncomfortable."

"I'm fine," she said, pulling the bottle out of Rachel's hand and placing it in the cooler.

"That's great to hear," Rachel squealed happily, "but I also got a bottle of sparkling cider for everyone who doesn't drink wine. You and Beth, and of course I don't think alcohol of any strength would mix well with the medication Quinn is taking."

"Probably not," Judy agreed, chilling the bottle of cider next to the wine. "That's very thoughtful of you."

"I try my best to be a good hostess," she smiled as Finn frowned at the instructions left for him by Kurt. He pulled a pan from the cupboard before adding the ingredients on the list and putting it on the burner.

"I think that's everything for the sauce," he said uncertainly, stirring the rapidly warming mixture slowly.

"The next thing on the list is to marinate the chicken," Rachel told him, reading of the list. "It says it needs to marinate for at least thirty minutes in the fridge before you cook it." She frowned as she read the list. "What exactly are we having?" Finn shrugged.

"I'm not entirely sure," he admitted, pulling the spoon back and put the lid on the pan. He started gathering the next set of ingredients he would need for the marinade. "It was something fancy he wanted to try. But he did say he'd bring something special for you."

"That shouldn't be necessary," Rachel said, reading over the list. "It looks like the majority of items are vegan friendly. I should have enough options to enjoy"

"I am pleased to hear that," Kurt said, coming into the apartment and heading right for the kitchen. "But I am a courteous chef. I would never dream of making my friend go hungry simply because she doesn't eat the meat I prepared."

"Just as I would never be a bad hostess and call you out on it," Rachel added, smiling brightly. Kurt hugged her.

"We are the biggest shmucks I know," Kurt said, laughing at himself. "It's a good thing we're hosting this party, because we would give people an aneurism trying to keep us happy."

"Not that I'm not happy to see you here," Rachel started as Kurt pulled out of her arms, "but weren't you supposed to pick up Sam and Mercedes?"

"Blaine's doing that," Kurt dismissed with a wave of his hand. "He and Sam need to spend some BFF time which apparently doesn't include me. Now that I think about it," he scrunched his forehead in though, "it probably doesn't include Mercedes either, but they're stuck with her. Besides, I had a terrible feeling leaving the preparation to Finn." He turned to look at the taller man. "No offense Finn, but you can barely make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich." Finn stepped away from the stove.

"It's all your Kurt." Kurt nodded, then shrieked when he saw the sauce.

"I said bring it to a simmer," he nearly shouted, wrenching the pan away from the burner, "not a boil."

"Sorry," Finn apologized sincerely. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Kurt sighed.

"Don't take this the wrong way Finn," he started solemnly, "but the best thing you can do right now is leave. I'll take it from here." He nodded and passed his apron over to his brother before grabbing Rachel's hand and leading her into the living room. They sat down on the couch, careful not to disturb Quinn who had apparently fallen asleep.

"So, what do you want to do until everyone gets here?" Rachel asked as she pulled Finn's arms around her. Finn smiled innocently.

"I know it sounds cheesy, but I just want to hold you." He placed a kiss to her temple.

"I think it sounds perfect," she answered, snuggling in closer to him. He smiled contently, resting his chin on her shoulder. They sat there, listening to Kurt in the kitchen, just enjoying each other's company. The rest of the group eventually joined them, someone putting on a movie which became background noise as the group enjoyed an all too rare quiet day. The knock on the door broke the lazy afternoon, but nobody seemed in a hurry to answer.

"I guess I'll get that," Kurt said from the kitchen when nobody bothered getting up. He rushed over when the knock sounded again and opened the door to a very agitated Mercedes.

"Your boy is getting on my last nerve," she said, pushing past him and into the apartment.

"Where are Blaine and Sam?" Kurt asked, glancing at the empty hallway before closing the door. Mercedes turned to look at him.

"They were too busy with 'bro time' and missed the train," she said simply, glaring at him. He raised his hands defensively.

"If they are having 'bro time', I think we should have girl time."

"I couldn't agree more," she said, her glare turning into a smile. She pulled him into a quick hug. "Now, where is she?"

"On the couch," he told her, as he went back into the kitchen. Mercedes headed to the living room, stopping dead in her tracks at the sight of the blonde on the couch. "I think she's sleeping," he told her. "I think they all are actually."

"No," Rachel said quietly, "just enjoying some peace and quiet." Mercedes moved around the couch, stopping short when a dog lifted his head to look at her. "It's okay. He's very nice."

"He's not the one I'm looking at," she said quietly, tears forming in her eyes. "I never thought I would see her again. It's a miracle." Everyone smiled slightly at her reaction. They all had the same initial reaction so they just let her work through her emotions.

"It's not polite to stare," Finn said after a few minutes. He laughed at the annoyed smirk Mercedes shot his way. She took another step closer to Quinn, only to stop when Tobey got to his feet. "He's very protective of Quinn," Finn told her. "Just put your hand out let him get to know you before you move any closer." She did as she was told. Tobey sniffed her hand for a minute before turning around and laying back down at Quinn's feet.

"Did I pass his test?" Mercedes asked, taking a step back.

"Yep," Santana said from the chair where she and Brittany were cuddling, "but let's not test that just yet. I think this is the best Q has been sleeping since the hearing." Everyone nodded and Mercedes took this as a sign to head back to the kitchen where Kurt was putting the finishing touches on their main course. Twenty minutes later Blaine and Sam came barreling in, laughing about something only they know about.

"Hey everybody," Sam chuckled as everybody turned to look.

"Quiet!" Santana glared at him before softening and looking at Quinn. "I think she's still asleep."

"Sorry," Blaine immediately quieted down, but Sam's gaze was transfixed on Quinn. In a daze, he went and stood next to Mercedes, his eyes never leaving the small form on the couch. He looked back to Mercedes with a haunted look.

"I know," she said simply. He nodded as Kurt placed their dinner in the oven.

"We have thirty minutes for the chicken to cook," he said, leaving the kitchen and making his way to the living room. "It's been forever since we've seen each other. What's been happening in your lives?" He took a seat next to Quinn, careful not to wake her up. Tobey looked up as he approached. Kurt scratched him behind his ears as he sat down.

"You have a dog?" Sam asked before turning to Brittany. "What about Lord Tubbington?"

"Lord Tubbington is Tobey's second favorite person," Brittany told him. "He would be here now, but he's still getting ready."

"They actually get along really well," Rachel said. "It actually makes me wonder about all the truths parents tell you when you're younger. I never doubted when my dad said we couldn't get a dog because dogs and cats can't live together until now." Everybody laughed slightly as the group started to casually chat. Tobey got up and sniffed the newcomers intently, but they got his seal of approval when they scratched behind his ears. They chatted quietly until another knock was heard. Blaine opened the door to find Shelby, Beth, and Puck.

"You know this is all your fault," Shelby said sternly as they joined the group in the front room. They all looked around, confused, until a small bundle jumped from Beth's arms and started attacking Tobey's tail. "Mack! No!" Beth giggled, getting on her knees to play with the dogs.

"Is everyone getting dogs?" Sam asked out loud. "Does that mean we should get a dog?" he asked Mercedes. She glared at him.

"Wait," Santana jumped in. "Does that mean you and Trouty Mouth are back together?"

"We've been thinking about living together," Mercedes told them, "in a strictly friend capacity."

"I got a place in modeling company," Sam said proudly, "and they include housing as a perk, but the place they stay makes Puck's house look like a rehab rec room." He looked over at Puck. "No offense." Puck shrugged.

"It's the truth," he said.

"Anyway, I wasn't sure about staying there, and when I told Mercedes, she said she wasn't sure about staying by herself."

"Especially when I start my tour," Mercedes jumped in, practically shouting in happiness.

"Oh my God," Rachel shouted, giving Mercedes a big hug. Everyone followed suit as congratulations followed by everyone.

"Thank you," Mercedes said humbly as everyone calmed down again. "Nothing's for sure yet, but the studio really wants to do a tour. My single is already out and doing really well, and the album is almost ready."

"You have a single?" Rachel asked. "Why haven't you told us? Why haven't we heard it?"

"Maybe we would have if we had been listening to music these last few weeks instead of books," Santana huffed. Brittany glared at her, still mad about her stunt earlier with Quinn.

"Anyway," Mercedes continued, "I wasn't sure about getting an apartment if I would just be leaving in a few months for tour. When I heard about the place they wanted to put Sam, I figured it would be perfect if we just moved in. Sam would have a safe place to stay and I would have someone watching the place when I go on tour."

"We haven't moved in yet," Sam told everyone. "We're just talking about it right now. We thought we'd see how this weekend worked to see if we could live together without it being awkward."

"And if something comes out of this?" Kurt asked, smiling brightly.

"If it happens it happens," Mercedes told them, "but we're definitely not trying to force anything." As they were talking Mack got tired of chasing Tobey's tail and headed toward Santana and Brittany's room. A minute later Lord Tubbington ran into the room, not stopping until Tobey was between him and the new puppy. They watched as Mack chased the cat, who kept moving to keep the older dog between them. Every so often Tobey would swipe at whichever animal was irritating him at the moment, before all three of them got tired and curled up together.

"Well if cats and dogs can learn to live together, I think you guys can too," Rachel told them, giving them each a huge hug.

"Thanks," Sam said as the timer on the oven went off.

"That's my cue," Kurt excused himself to tend to dinner. "Fifteen minutes should do it," he called as he left. They all nodded and looked to Judy, who sighed and approached her daughter.

"Quinn? Sweetie? It's time for dinner?" She gently shook her shoulder, taking the earbuds out from the now quiet Ipod. "Quinn? It's time to wake up." Quinn groaned, blinking sleepily before smiling at her mother.

"I had a nice dream," she said tiredly.

"Yeah?" Judy said as she ran her fingers through Quinn's hair, trying to get some of the unruly pieces back in place. "What did you dream?"

"I was on a stage and everyone was singing and dancing around me," she pushed herself up awkwardly with her good arm. "I didn't know the songs and I couldn't see anyone's faces, but I felt happy."

"Impromptu singing and dancing," Puck said, "it sounds like something we would have done during glee club."

"Speaking of glee club members," Rachel added. "You have some visitors Quinn. Sam and Mercedes have finally made it here from California." Quinn sat up straighter as Sam and Mercedes approached.

"Hey," Sam said quietly, kneeling down so they were eye level. "It is so good to see you again."

"I wish I could say the same," Quinn answered cheekily, "on both accounts." Sam smiled bitterly for a second.

"Yeah, I guess it would be for you," he admitted. "Well then, how about a fresh start? I hear that's the in thing right now."

"I would like that." Quinn beamed as Sam gave her a big hug.

"Now don't you think for a second that you are going to get away without giving me my luvins," Mercedes said loudly when they finally pulled apart. "I've waited too long for my hugs to be denied much longer."

"Mercedes," Sam laughed quietly when Quinn froze. "She has been talking about you nonstop as soon as we got on the airplane." He moved out of the way and Quinn found herself surrounded by two strong, powerful arms.

"Don't you ever do something like that again girl," Mercedes cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"Sorry," Quinn said uncertainly, arms coming up to return the hug awkwardly.

"As much as I like a good cry," Kurt said abruptly, "dinner is ready."


	24. Chapter 24

Warnings and disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Mom?" Quinn asked as everybody made their way to the table. Judy came right over.

"Yes sweetie?" Quinn looked down ashamedly. "Do you need to freshen up before dinner?"

"Yes please," she answered quietly. Judy helped her back into the wheelchair and pushed her toward their bathroom.

"Is everything okay?" Sam asked uncertainly.

"Everything's fine," Rachel answered. "Quinn is just freshening up before dinner."

"Why did her mom go with her?" Sam asked again, trying to understand.

"She still needs help every so often," Finn tried to explain.

"So why can't we help?" Sam wore that caring but confused look on his face, but finally Santana had enough.

"Oh, for God's sake, Trouty," she growled. "Quinn needed her diaper changed and Judy when to help change it." She stared at the blonde boy. "Unless you'd like to help her instead?"

"No," Sam said quickly as silence descended over the group.

"She wears a diaper?" Puck asked in shock.

"Yes," Rachel answered, "but please don't make a big deal out of it. She's very self-conscious about it."

"But she's getting better," Brittany chimed in. "She can sometimes feel when she goes bathroom now."

"That's better?" Mercedes asked, her eyes wide.

"Way better," Rachel answered. "When we first found her, she had no feeling of relieving herself at all. She keeps getting more and more feeling back every day. It's a sign she's improving."

"Enough of this talk," Kurt ordered. "Everyone here is used to it so it's no big deal. Quinn gets very uncomfortable if you make it a big deal, so you can either accept that it's part of her right now or there's the door."

"Damn," Santana came over and gave Kurt a high-five then they stood together and glared at their guests. "I have no trouble helping any one of you to the door."

"Okay," Mercedes held her hands up in surrender just as they heard the squeak of wheels coming back towards them. They stared as Judy pushed Quinn up to her usual spot at the table.

"Is dinner ready?" Judy asked, trying to relieve the tension in the room before Quinn caught on. Everybody seemed to pick up what she was doing.

"Yes," Kurt said as everybody took their seats. Santana was conscripted into helping him bring over everything front he stove, which she did after glaring at him for a few minutes, and chatter casually started back up again.

"Finn," Rachel asked as they were passing around the food, "why do you have your laptop at the table?"

"Quinn was dreaming about singing and dancing," he said, not looking up from what he was doing. "I thought she might like to see some of our Glee club movies. I think I still have a few of them."

"Don't you mean hear?" Sam asked. Mercedes rolled her eyes and smacked him upside the head, but nobody else paid him any attention.

"Really?" Quinn asked, her excitement shining through. "I can hear you guys singing?"

"You're singing too," Finn said, pulling up the file of the Regionals where Quinn and Sam sung their duet. He put the computer in front of her and hit play, then went to start his own dinner. Everyone was quiet as they listened to the file, everyone around Quinn were straining to watch, but Quinn was transfixed.

"Can I hear it again?" she asked mesmerized. "Who was that singing?"

"That was you and Sam," Judy said as she restarted the file. Quinn closed her eyes as she listened, only opening them when it ended.

"Can I hear it again? Are there any more? Is that really me? I didn't know I could sing." Judy laughed at her ramblings.

"There are a lot more and we can watch them all night long," Judy started as she put a plate of food in front of Quinn, "but you need to eat. As long as you eat you can listen." Quinn frowned but picked up her fork and started picking at her food. It was a minuscule amount compared to the other plates, but Quinn still glared at it. After a few bites, she put down the fork and started rubbing her eyes.

"Here," Blaine said, passing over her sunglasses.

"Thanks," she smiled at him and slipped the shades on. She slowly took a few more bites, still rubbing her eyes while everyone finished their dinner.

"Maybe that's enough for one day," Judy said, moving to shut the laptop.

"No!" Quinn snarled, which caused everyone to jump a little.

"Quinn!" Judy raised her voice in warning. Quinn sighed, letting her fork drop to her plate.

"It's close," she said, rubbing her eyes again. "I'm not sure what it is, but it's close. There's something about these songs. I can almost grasp it." Judy frowned when tears started coming out of Quinn's eyes.

"No," she said abruptly. "You've had enough for one day."

"No!" she shouted, making a blind grab for the laptop and almost spilling her dinner. "I'm okay. I want to watch." She put on a brave face, but everyone could see her face paling and her body trembling. Everyone glanced at each other uncertainly. Judy sighed as she examined the situation. She could easily force Quinn to stop, but decided to try a different route.

"What about Beth?" she asked quietly. Beth looked up at her name while Quinn fell back into the chair exhaustedly.

"Beth?" she asked hesitantly.

"You had a present for her birthday," Judy reminded her. Quinn looked confused for a minute, thinking deeply, before straightening up.

"Oh yeah. I forgot." She held out her hand and the young girl moved over and held on tight. "I have something for your birthday."

"Really?" she asked happily. "My birthday isn't until tomorrow, though."

"I know, but mom says I have my surgery tomorrow and can't go to you party, even though I really want to."

"I know," Beth reassured her, "and it's okay that you can't go. But maybe we can do something another day, just you and me, when you're feeling better."

"I'd like that," Quinn readily agreed, "but I had hoped to do something with you tonight, after dinner."

"I'm done," Beth said quickly. Shelby narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but didn't say anything. Quinn nodded and tried to push herself back from the table, but she was shaking so hard she couldn't move the chair.

"I don't think that's a good idea right now Quinn," Judy frowned, concerned at her daughter's appearance. She was still shaking, rubbing her eyes continually, and getting paler by the minute. "I think you've had enough excitement for the day. And you need to prepare for the surgery tomorrow. I think it's time you called it a night."

"But I'm okay," Quinn argued. She reached out for Beth, who quickly climbed onto her lap. "I got you a book. I know how much I liked it when you read to me, and I thought I could read to you for once." She turned to the others. "Puck. Can you get the book? I'm not sure where it got put."

"Sure," Puck told her. He followed Finn over to the bookcase where they put the it. He took it reverently, and handed it to Quinn. Beth reached out to take it and for a moment their three hands touched. Time stood still as the family was lost in their moment, until Beth accidentally brushed Quinn's bad arm. She hissed and pulled back, leaving Beth to examine the book.

"I've never seen a book like this before," she said, opening the cover and turning the pages. "How do you read it?"

"The dots form the letters," Quinn tried to show her, but groaned in pain when she tried to hold the book.

"I can hold the book for you," Beth volunteered. Quinn nodded and she was soon holding Beth's hand, moving her fingers across the page. Beth watched in amazement. Judy sighed.

"Fine. But if you're going to read, please do it in bed." Quinn quickly agreed. Beth jumped down when Judy pushed the chair toward their rooms. "Beth, perhaps you can help with the dogs? I think they probably need to go bathroom as well. Then by the time you're done, I'll have Quinn ready for bed."

"Okay," she readily agreed. She turned to the group. "Who's going to take the dogs out?"

"I guess I will," Finn volunteered. Beth smiled at him. She grabbed the leash and headed toward Mack while Finn called Tobey over. Judy pushed Quinn back to their bathroom as they took the dogs out.

"I wish you wouldn't push yourself," Judy grumbled as she helped Quinn get ready for bed.

"I thought you wanted me to push myself?" Quinn asked, rubbing her eyes tiredly. Judy rolled her eyes as she helped Quinn with her nightly ritual.

"Normally yes," she admitted, "but not tonight. You have your surgery tomorrow. You should be focusing on that. Plus, you know how you get when you try to force your memories."

"I'm not trying to force anything," Quinn said uncertainly. "It's just so close and I want it so bad."

"That's called forcing," Judy sighed as she handed Quinn her nightly medicine. Quinn frowned distastefully, but didn't complain, even when Judy added an extra painkiller. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'm not gonna get hurt," Quinn told her as they entered her room. Judy grabbed Quinn's clothes pajamas. She helped her change clothes and get into bed. She propped Quinn's bad arm up on a mountain of pillows, rubbing her shoulder when Quinn's shaking still hadn't stopped.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" she asked one more time, hoping her daughter would tell her if she wasn't feeling good. She doubted she would though. It was another trait that bled through from old Quinn. "It's okay if you're not okay. Everyone will understand."

"I'm fine," Quinn insisted. Judy opened her mouth to reply when Beth walked into the room.

"Are you ready?" Beth asked excitedly.

"Yes," Quinn said eagerly, but Judy shook her head.

"Can you give us a minute?" she asked the child. Beth nodded and headed back into the hallway. Judy moved around the bed, holding on to Quinn's good hand tightly. "I need you to promise me something, sweetie. Promise me you won't push yourself tonight. If you feel tired, please let yourself go to bed. Beth will understand."

"I promise," Quinn agreed. Judy nodded, squeezing her hand tightly, before leaving the room.

"Grandma?" Beth asked quietly. "Is Quinn okay? Am I going to hurt her?"

"Of course, not sweetie," Judy hugged her tightly. "Just be careful with her." Beth nodded.

"Can Tobey and Mack join us?" she asked hopefully. Judy looked down the hallway. Tobey was waiting patiently, watching them intently, while Mack was trying to play with the older dog.

"Sure," Judy told her. "Just make sure Mack stays away from her arm." Beth nodded, called the dogs, and rejoined Quinn. Judy gave them a few minutes before checking on them. "Are you girls all set?"

"Yep," Quinn told her. Beth was tucked into her good side, holding the book in her lap. Tobey and Mack were at the foot of the bed, watching contentedly.

"Alright. You girls have fun. I'll be across the hall if you need anything." She spoke to Quinn, but looked right at Beth. Beth nodded her understanding. Judy left them alone, detouring to the living room to explain the situation to the group before retiring to her room. Shelby decided to join her, leaving the young adults to their party. They had been gossiping for an hour when Beth suddenly called out.


	25. Chapter 25

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Grandma!" Beth cried out desperately from across the hall. Both women jumped from the bed. Judy rushed into the room while Shelby stopped in the doorframe, frozen in shock. Quinn was shaking so badly it looked like she was having a seizure, her eyes rolled up in her head so the only part visible were the whites. Blood was gushing from her nose.

"Beth!" Shelby called. The terrified child leapt off the bed, running into her mother's arms, but turning so she could watch the figure on the bed.

"I need a towel!" Judy shouted as she took Beth's place on the bed. Shelby nodded, and turned to go only to find Rachel was already heading to the bathroom. The rest of the group hovered around uncertainty, alerted to the scene with Beth's cry.

"Here." Rachel shoved her way through the group, holding several towels. She handed one to Judy and dumped the rest on the foot of the bed before heading to the other side. "How can I help?"

"Keep her arm still," Judy instructed as she grabbed the towel. She folded it before gently pinching her nose. "Quinn? Can you hear me?" Judy rubbed Quinn's shoulder reassuringly. Quinn's hand twitched, but she gave no other sign she heard.

"Can we do anything?" Finn asked quietly from the doorway. "Should I call an ambulance?"

"I'm not sure," Judy told them. She looked back at her daughter, the helplessness clear to see. She opened her mouth soundlessly just as Quinn finally quieted down, falling onto the bed with a thump. "Quinn?" she asked softly, but Quinn's eyes remained closed. Judy sighed before turning to the group. "I think it's best if everyone leaves now." The group nodded. "You can go too Rachel. I can take it from here." Rachel shook her head.

"I'm good here," she insisted, holding onto Quinn's hand in an iron grip and refusing to let go. Finn came and stood behind his wife, a comforting hand on her shoulder. Judy sighed but didn't force the issue, instead focusing on helping Shelby calm Beth. The rest of the group slowly made their way to the living room.

"What was that?" Puck asked as he pulled on his jacket. Mercedes and Sam looked as scared as he did, but Santana sighed. She and Brittany followed everyone to the living room, being the good hosts now that Rachel was refusing to leave.

"It's how she gets when she tries to force her memories," Brittany told the room in her innocent way. They all glanced at her uncomfortably and Santana decided to speak up.

"It usually doesn't get this bad," she told the group. "We can usually tell when she's pushing and distract her. This came from nowhere."

"Is it always that bad?" Sam asked as he helped Mercedes with her jacket. Kurt shook his head.

"Usually just a headache," he told them before turning back to Santana. "When is the surgery?"

"I think it's scheduled for ten," she said. "But this might change things." He nodded.

"If you need any help," he left the rest unsaid, but the other's nodded in agreement.

"We'll be fine," Santana reassured them. "We're all taking the day off to go to the hospital for the surgery anyway. We'll tell you how it goes at Beth's party."

"Okay," Mercedes said uncertainly. "I guess we'll see you then." They followed Kurt and Blaine out of the apartment. A few minutes later Shelby was leading Beth out. She had tear tracks on her cheek, but had calmed down a lot.

"Hey squirt," Santana greeted, holding her arms open for a hug. Beth flung herself into them and started crying again. "Hey. None of that," she told the girl. "Q's gonna be fine. None of this is your fault. It's nobody's fault." Beth nodded into her shirt. Santana hugged her tightly. "Now I want you to go home and get lots of sleep cause you'll need all the rest you can get tomorrow. It's your big day."

"I didn't mean to hurt Quinn," Beth gasped.

"I know," she reassured the traumatized girl. "But Q's tough. She'll be okay. I promise."

"You promise?" Beth looked up at her with tear stained eyes.

"I promise," Santana said again. Beth nodded and pulled away. She dried her eyes with her sleeves before Shelby reached out her hand.

"I think it's time we said goodnight," Shelby said. Beth followed her mother out, leaving Santana and Brittany in the suddenly empty feeling apartment.

"C'mon," Santana grabbed Brittany's hand and pulled her back to Quinn's room. Nothing had changed since they had left. They sat at the foot of the bed quietly.

"I think she's sleeping now," Judy said after the silence stretched on for who knows how long.

"I am so sorry," Finn said. "I didn't think the recordings would affect her like this."

"You didn't think at all," Santana snarked before closing her eyes and forcing herself to calm down. "Sorry."

"I'm sure you didn't mean any harm," Judy told Finn, "but maybe no more home movies for a bit."

"Right," Finn smiled in relief.

"Well," Judy started when the silence was getting thick again. "There's no point in us all staying here. You might as well get some sleep."

"I'm staying," Rachel insisted, planting herself firmly at Quinn's side. Nobody dared to suggest otherwise, so Finn simply gave her shoulder a squeeze and left. Brittany stood, moved over and gave Quinn a quick kiss, then pulled Santana by the hand and left. Rachel and Judy stared at each other. "I'm not leaving," she insisted again.

"Fine," Judy agreed wearily. "Can you stay with her while I freshen up?" Rachel nodded and a few minutes later Judy came back in ready for the night. She took her spot again and turned to Rachel. "I really appreciate you staying, but I can handle this myself."

"No," Rachel told her. "We've been leaving you alone too much. You shouldn't have to do everything alone."

"I'm used to it," she dismissed with a hand, but finally found her breaking point. She pulled back, trying to stifle her sobs, but Rachel heard. This was the only thing that could move Rachel, who quickly folded her arms around the sobbing woman. Judy cried for several minutes before she could pull herself back into some semblance of control. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Rachel told her. "We've all broken down over this situation more than once. You were overdue." Judy nodded while she got herself completely under control again. She excused herself once again and when she returned she was surprised to see Rachel in bed, cradling Quinn who had started whimpering slightly. Rachel started getting up when Judy came back in, but she quickly waved her back down.

"She was getting upset," Rachel explained, stroking Quinn's hair comfortingly.

"I understand," Judy told her, moving to one of the chairs around the room. She studied the girls for a few minutes. Under Rachel's ministrations, Quinn had quieted down and was sleeping peacefully again. "She must feel safe with you," she commented.

"I would never hurt her," Rachel replied automatically, gently squeezing Quinn's shoulders. Judy watched them for a few more minutes.

"Rachel," Judy started carefully, "why are you doing this?"

"Because you two are family," Rachel replied, blushing slightly. Judy shook her head.

"No, that's why you offered us a place to stay," she countered. "That doesn't explain why you are cuddling my daughter after a bad dream, or why you are so involved in her recovery." Rachel was quiet for a minute. Judy waited for her patiently.

"It's my fault," she said after a few minutes.

"What?" Judy asked, not following her logic. "Nobody knew this would happen if we showed her those movies." Rachel shook her head. "Then what do you mean?" Rachel was quiet again, running her fingers absently through Quinn's hair again. "Rachel?"

"It's my fault," she said again. "The accident seven years ago. She was trying to get to my wedding because I begged her to come. I texted her, even though I knew she was on her way, and she texted back and ran the stop sign. We lost her for seven years, and she lost so much more than she even realizes, and it's all my fault."

"It's not your fault," Judy automatically replied, but Rachel shook her head.

"It was. I saw the police report. She was texting me back. She wouldn't have even been in the car if I hadn't pushed her." Rachel paused, brushing away her tears before continuing. "Most of the time I fool myself into thinking everything is alright. She's usually so happy and cheerful, even with all this, but today, it was like seeing everything for the first time. And I just feel so guilty." Judy sighed.

"It's not your fault," Judy told her, gathering up the Diva in her arms as best she could. "It's nobody's fault. It was an accident." Rachel sobbed, but nodded her head. "It was an accident," Judy repeated, holding the crying girl tightly. Rachel eventually calmed down, her sobbing quieting to only the occasional hiccup. "Feel better?"

"Yes," Rachel admitted hoarsely. Judy hugged her once more before moving off the bed. She expected Rachel to do the same and raised an eyebrow questioningly when the Diva didn't move.

"Rachel?" she asked amusedly, "are you planning on spending the night?"

"Would it be okay if I did?" Rachel asked uncertainly, glancing at Judy briefly before looking away. Judy stopped, shocked by Rachel's serious response. Not that Rachel couldn't be serious, in fact Rachel was normally the most serious one of the bunch, but Judy thought Rachel knew she was joking with the Diva.

"Why?" she asked harshly. Rachel flinched at the harsh tone and Judy immediately felt horrible. "I didn't mean to sound so harsh," she continued in a gentler tone. "It was my momma bear instinct coming out."

"It's okay," Rachel told her. "I don't blame you wanting to protect her." They both stopped when Quinn whimpered, but Rachel was able to calm her down again. She rubbed small circles on the blonde's shoulder as she gathered her thoughts. "I just want to be here for her. One of my regrets during High School was that I wasn't there for her when she really needed her friends."

"What?" Judy asked, curious about that part of her daughter's life. She and Quinn were still rebuilding their fragile relationship when her daughter came home the first time. Quinn didn't want to talk about the months that she had been homeless, and Judy didn't want to push her away by prying. They both mutually decided that time was off limits, at least until they had a better relationship. "I thought you all were there for her?"

"They were more so than I," Rachel explained. "I was too excited at the fall of my greatest nemesis to really see the person behind the mask. And, I'm ashamed to admit, I pushed her down a time or two." Rachel looked up, tears in her eyes again.

"Rachel," Judy cooed. "Why?"

"Because I wanted to feel what it was like. I wanted to be the one holding power over Quinn Fabray, pushing her down like she always did to me." Judy looked at them with sympathetic eyes. That was not one of the forbidden subjects, how Quinn had changed when she returned home. Quinn admitted to her mother she had been a bully, but she was trying hard to overcome that reputation. Trying to right the wrongs she inflicted. Judy wondered whether her daughter had become the victim of bullying to cause her complete one-eighty. Now Rachel had just confirmed she had, from the one person Judy thought would never do such a thing.

"And how did you feel?" Judy asked knowingly.

"Horrible," Rachel cried. "I tried to change that, but I felt like I didn't deserve to be her friend. Then you two reconnected and summer came. We never had any social interactions outside of school, and I had no idea how to start a friendship with her without that commonality." She hastily dried her eyes. "When school started, I thought I would try again, but then she somehow made it back on the Cheerios and I thought my nemesis would reappear. She never did, but it took me a while to figure that out. That's when we slowly started becoming friends."

"That's when she started living again," Judy said, taking her seat and watching the two girls. "It took a while for me to earn back her trust, but when she first came home she didn't have the spark."

"The spark?" Rachel asked.

"For life," Judy explained. "She wasn't living. She was just existing. I attributed it to giving up Beth. As a mother, I understand how hard that would be, even if I thankfully never had to experience it. I tried to help as much as I could, but for that first year it was like she was simply going through the motions. Then she finally started to live again. At the time, I thought she had found a boyfriend."

"She never did," Rachel told her. "She had a brief thing with Sam and then again with Finn, but I don't think they ever really went anywhere. Honestly, she just never seemed interested in dating, not like she was before she got pregnant." They were quiet for a few minutes.

"I'm glad she has you as a friend," Judy told her honestly. Rachel smiled.

"Me too." Her smile turned into a yawn, but she still didn't make any move to leave.

"Well, it looks like you have everything under control," Judy said. "You should get some sleep. I know you must be exhausted with your busy schedule. I'll just stay here and read for a bit, just in case."

"Out loud?" Rachel asked. It had become one of the many changes since Quinn had joined them. Quinn loved books so much that nobody, not even Santana, could say no when she asked.

"Is there any other way?" Judy joked as she pulled a book at random from Quinn's nightstand. She started reading, watching as Rachel slowly joined Quinn in sleep. Eventually she put the book down and just watched to two of them sleep, not moving until Quinn started shifting.

"Mom?" she asked sleepily, not quite awake. She looked scared when she realized she wasn't alone, but before Judy could go to her she smiled dopily. "Rachel." Judy watched in fascination as Quinn snuggled closer to the Diva and promptly fell back to sleep.

"I guess you do have everything under control," Judy whispered to herself as she stood. She straightened out the blanket, which Quinn had moved, before tucking in the two girls. "Goodnight."


	26. Chapter 26

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Judy woke up refreshed the next morning. It was the first good night's sleep she had gotten since Quinn came back into her life. Ever since she had found her daughter, her sleep had been plagued by dark thoughts and nightmares of Quinn's death. She thought those would stop once she took Quinn home, but it just changed to sleeping so lightly in case her daughter needed her that she barely slept at all. She quickly checked on Quinn, finding her still fast asleep, before heading into the kitchen.

"Morning," Rachel greeted from her place at the oven. She was making pancakes. The rest of the group were staring at each other, clearly lost in their own world. It was eerie how they all turned to face her as a group.

"How is she?" Santana asked.

"Still sleeping," Judy told them as she poured herself some coffee. "But at least she had a quiet night."

"Yeah," Finn said, shooting Rachel a concerned look.

"Nothing happened Finn," Rachel told him. "I just held her while she slept." Everyone turned to look at her.

"Not really helping your cause," Santana grumbled. Brittany smiled at her before pulling Santana in for a kiss. Finn just stared at Rachel.

"What?" she said, uncomfortably. Finn just smiled. Rachel was about to say more when they heard Quinn cry out. Judy led the way with the rest of the group not far behind. Judy immediately went to her daughter while they hovered around the doorway.

"It's okay sweetie," Judy quickly reached out grabbed Quinn's good hand, rubbing her shoulder soothingly. "I'm here. It's okay."

"I can't move my arm!" Quinn was panicking, looking around even in her blind state. She tried to get up, but Judy easily pushed her back down.

"I know honey," she cooed gently. "It's okay. Just lie back. It'll all be okay." Eventually Quinn calmed down, tears streaming down her face as she turned to her mother.

"I think I need to go to the doctor," she reluctantly admitted. Judy frowned, looking to the others. Quinn took the pause as disappointment. She looked down shamefully. "It's not getting any better. I tried my best but I can't make it better. I know you're disappointed."

"No Quinnie," Judy looked down. "I'm not disappointed. You didn't do anything wrong." Quinn looked up, tearfully.

"But I'm not getting better."

"That's not your fault sweetie," Judy reassured her. "But we've already been to the doctor."

"We have?" Quinn said. "I'm sorry. I forgot." Judy looked at Quinn.

"We went to the doctors a few days ago," she told her. "Do you remember anything about that?" Quinn shook her head. "Do you remember anything the last few days?" Quinn scrunched her eyes for a minute then shook her head. "What is the last thing you remember?" Quinn thought for a few minutes before smiling slightly.

"Puck," she said dreamily then frowned. "Was he real?"

"He is. You'll see him later."

"Later?" Quinn asked. "Why can't I see him now?" Judy sighed.

"Quinn," she started uncertainly. "When we went to the doctor, he said you needed to have surgery."

"When?" she asked shakily.

"Today," Judy answered. "In a few hours."

"Oh," Quinn said, looking down.

"Hey, no fretting," Santana said, bursting loudly into the room. "We'll stay with you the whole time. It's nothing to worry about."

"Okay," Quinn said gloomily. Brittany climbed into the bed and pulled Quinn in for a big hug and kiss, but Quinn didn't respond at all. She started chatting idly about everything, but Quinn still didn't respond. She looked desperately to her girlfriend.

"Fine," Santana huffed, pulling a chair loudly across the room. She plopped down, putting her feet up on the bed. "I swore I would never do this but here goes." She reached over and grabbed one of the books from the nightstand. "Chapter one." Quinn perked up a bit at the book, but it was obvious she was upset about something. Deciding Santana and Brittany had everything under control for the moment, Judy escaped back into the kitchen.

"Weren't you guys helping Shelby today?" she asked Finn and Rachel, who followed her back into the kitchen.

"The party is at a fun center," Finn said. "There's not much to help with until party time."

"And we volunteered before the surgery was scheduled," Rachel added. "We've discussed this at length with Shelby last night. She understands things have changed since she started planning the party. We'll all stay with you and Quinn until she goes into surgery."

"Then we'll need to go help," Finn finished. "But we want to be here for you two."

"Thank you," Judy said sincerely. "I wanted to call Dr. Mathison. See if I can bring Quinn in a bit early."

"You're really freaked out about this, aren't you?" Finn asked. "She's forgotten stuff before."

"But never entire days," Judy frowned, "unless she simply didn't know and we never realized." She shook her head. "But it's not the forgotten time I'm worried about." She took a deep breath. "I was so scared last night. All I could think about was how I was losing her."

"It will be alright," Rachel reassured her, taking her hand. "Everything will be fine."

"Thank you," Judy squeezed her hand briefly before letting go. "We still have some time before we need to leave. Why don't you go try and cheer her up?"

"She did seem a little down," Finn said, leading the way out of the kitchen. Rachel was right behind him. Judy sighed, reaching for her phone and calling the too familiar number. Dr. Mathison was concerned about the event and suggested a few tests before the surgery. She asked about bringing Quinn in early for the tests and Dr. Mathison agreed. Judy helped herself to some pancakes and then got ready. She took Tobey out for his bathroom trip and then waited in the living room for thirty minutes, letting the group have some time alone. Eventually, though, it was time to get ready. She regrettably interrupted the kid's fun.

"It's time to get ready sweetie," Judy said from the doorway. Everybody was laughing and smiling, even Quinn looked happier than she did that morning, but at those words Quinn's head turned down again.

"We'll see you at the hospital," Brittany said, giving her a quick hug. Judy had offered to take everyone in her car, but between Quinn, her wheelchair, and Tobey there wasn't enough room.

"Finn?" Judy spoke up as he was passing her. "Can you stay and help please? I don't want Quinn trying to move her arm at all and unfortunately I'm not strong enough to take all of her weight myself and get her ready at the same time." Finn looked at Rachel.

"It's okay," she told him. "I trust you."

"Okay," he agreed, "but only if it's alright with Quinn." Quinn looked up, surprised at being included. She nodded.

"Thank you. Can you help me get her into the shower?" Finn paled at the thought, quickly looking to Rachel again. Santana and Brittany also turned to watch the show.

"I trust you," Rachel said again before linking arms with the two girls. "We'll meet you at the hospital." They left and Finn turned back to Judy.

"What about her jammies?" he asked uncomfortably. She smiled.

"I'll take care of those. I just need you to move her." Finn nodded and moved closer to the bed.

"Hey Quinn. I'm gonna carry you to the bathroom." Judy uncovered the girl while Finn carefully gathered her in his arms. Quinn hissed at the movement. "I'm not hurting you, am I?" he asked as he cradled her injured arm next to his chest.

"It's not you," she said quietly. "It's just my stupid arm hurting."

"I'll still try to be gentler," he promised as he stood. He walked carefully into the bathroom, putting her down on the shower seat. Judy was right behind him.

"Thank you, Finn," she said.

"No problem." He blushed, closed his eyes, and quickly turned away when she started undressing her daughter. "I'll just go take my shower. Just let me know when you're ready." He raced out of the room with his eyes still firmly closed. He didn't dare open them until he was safely in the hall with the door firmly shut behind him.

"Did you get an eyeful?" Santana snarked as he turned to go down the hallway.

"Shut up," he said, turning even redder. He turned away from her only to run into Tobey, who was watching the exchange carefully. He eyed Finn, his lips raising in a snarl even though he didn't make a sound. "Not you too," Finn protested. "I was just helping her." Tobey continued to glare for another minute before relaxing. He moved to lick Finn's hand.

"That dog was giving you a warning," Santana said calmly, moving over and patting his head, "but just in case you didn't get it, let me put it simply so you understand." She looked him straight in the eye. It took everything he had not to cower before her. "If while you're 'helping her'," she held up her hands for air quotes, "you somehow hurt her instead, we will go all Lima Heights on your ass." Tobey barked his agreement.

"You guys are so alike sometimes it's scary," Finn said in awe. Santana and Tobey both smirked.

"He's not going to hurt Quinn," Rachel came to his defense, "because if he did he'd have to answer to me."

"And she's scarier than both of you," Finn added, finally smiling. Rachel smiled back.

"Come on Santana. We need to leave now if we want to catch the next train." Santana scowled once more but let Rachel pull her away. Finn stepped up and wrapped his arms around her as she followed.

"I love you," he said, kissing the top of her head. Rachel leaned into him, turning her head enough for a goodbye kiss.

"We don't have all day dwarf," Santana shouted, smirking when they reluctantly pulled away. Finn watched as they left the apartment before quickly getting ready. He took a shower, dressed, and fiddled around in the living room until Judy called out for him.

"Can you help me in the bathroom please?"

"Um, sure," Finn told her, blushing at the thought of a naked Quinn. He squinted so tightly he almost had his eyes completely closed when he carefully entered the bathroom, his hands stretched in front of him to keep from walking into things.

"She's not going to bite," Judy laughed at his entrance. Finn cautiously opened his eyes, ready to slam them shut again at the sight of naked skin he shouldn't be seeing, but Judy had Quinn covered with a towel. Once he knew it was safe he opened his eyes completely.

"What do you need?" he asked helpfully.

"Just keep her upright," Judy told him. "She's pretty unstable right not."

"Right." Quinn was propped up in the corner of the shower, but he could tell she was only upright because Judy kept one hand firmly on her shoulder. This made it rather difficult to bathe her daughter.

"Careful with her arm." Finn nodded and eventually he had Quinn secure in his arms. "Are you okay with this?" Judy asked. He nodded and she quickly moved the towel. Finn immediately closed his eyes. "I'm sorry if this makes you uncomfortable," she chatted casually to help put him at ease. "I would have asked one of the girls, but they already left. And I didn't think she would be quite this bad. I'm afraid this means you'll probably be getting another shower."

"That's okay," Finn told her.

"Can you lean her forward a bit?" Judy asked. Finn nodded, opening his eyes slightly to make sure he didn't drop her. He tried to keep his eyes safely north of her private parts, but he couldn't stop himself from looking. He gasped at the first glance of her scarred body, quickly looking at her face to judge her reaction to his reaction. Quinn just continued to gaze blankly ahead.

"I did the same thing the first time I saw," Judy told him quietly while she gently ran a soaped-up washcloth over Quinn's skin. "So did the girls."

"And Quinn's not upset with me seeing her like this?" Finn asked uncertainly. Judy shook her head.

"She's used to it," she explained sadly. Finn just nodded and watched as Judy finished bathing her daughter, moving her whenever needed. He held her when she was done while Judy dried her off with towels then he carried her over to her room. It wasn't until he laid her on her bed that he realized he was completely soaked.

"I guess she's not the only one who needs to get dressed," he mused. Judy smiled gratefully at him.

"Thank you again Finn." He smiled goofily at her.

"Just let me know when you're ready." She nodded.

"Oh Finn?" she called out as he was about to close the door. "Can you get Tobey ready?"

"Sure." He glanced over at Quinn. She perked up at Tobey's name, but not nearly as much as she usually did. He looked to Judy, but she was already focusing on Quinn's clothing. He quietly closed the door behind him. He quickly changed and got Tobey ready, but still had to wait another twenty minutes before Judy called him.

"She's ready," she said simply, a small frown on her face. "Can you get her in the chair while I change?"

"Yeah," Finn agreed. He easily scooped her up and had her settled in the chair. He pushed her to the living room, where Tobey was waiting for them. Quinn held out her hand and Tobey licked her fingers, but she still wasn't as animated as she normally would be. "Judy?" Finn asked when the older woman joined him. "Is Quinn okay? She's usually not so docile."

"She had a rough night," Judy sighed. Finn frowned.

"She's had rough nights before," he said thoughtfully as they made their way out of the apartment. "She's usually fine in the morning."

"She hasn't had any of her morning medication," Judy told him. "She's in a lot of pain right now."

"So, give her something." Judy shook her head.

"There were some notations on her charts from Morningside about bad drug interactions. Dr. Mathison didn't want to take the risk." Judy sighed. "I'm sure he'll give her something at the hospital though. Nobody thought she would have such a bad episode right before her surgery." Finn grudgingly accepted the explanation and was extra gentle as he moved her into the car. Tobey quickly climbed in after her.

"I never realized how much the medicine helps her," Finn said as they pulled out of the parking lot. "Makes me wonder how her dad ever thought no medicine was the way to go." Judy didn't have an answer to that so they drove in silence. The drive to the hospital was uneventful. Dr. Mathison was waiting for them, a frown on his face when he finally saw Quinn. They were quickly shepherded to a room, where he immediately gave Quinn some pain medication before pulling Judy out into the hall. Finn took a chair next to the bed, holding Quinn's good hand tightly. He could tell when the medicine started working. Her grip gradually slackened until her hand was lying limply in his. "Feeling better?" Finn asked. Quinn nodded slightly. "I can read to you?" Finn offered. "I know I don't have the best voice, but I can try to do different voices for different characters."

"Thanks," Quinn smiled at him, her first real smile of the day. Finn squeezed her hand for a second before pulling out a book. They both quickly got lost in the book so that by the time the girls got there everything seemed normal.

"Hey Quinn," Dr. Mathison greeted when he returned a few minutes later. He was followed by a couple nurses pushing a cart. "I heard you had a rough night. Want to talk about it?" Quinn just shrugged.

"Don't remember," she said quietly.

"Your mom also says you don't remember what we talked about." Quinn shook her head. "I'll explain it all again, but we have to do a couple of tests before we get started. It might put us behind schedule a bit."

"What about the party?" Quinn asked automatically.

"What party?" Judy asked carefully. Quinn frowned.

"I'm not sure." Quinn scrunched her forehead in concentration while everybody looked at each other. Finally, she gave up, drooping her shoulders.

"Well," Dr. Mathison broke the uncomfortable silence. "We're going to start with a blood test then we have a few other tests we need to run." Quinn nodded absently. Everyone backed up when the nurses approached, but were quickly back in their places as soon as they left again.


	27. Chapter 27

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Well?" Judy asked quietly in the corner. Dr. Mathison looked at her.

"We'll hopefully know more in a few hours," he told her sympathetically. Judy nodded. He smiled reassuringly before he left the room. Judy turned and watched the group. They tried to keep Quinn entertained as the day wore on, but Judy could easily tell something was bothering her daughter. The later it got the more distracted Quinn became. It didn't help matters when people slowly started to leave to help with Beth's party. Finn and Brittany were the first to leave after a frantic phone call from Shelby who was seriously freaking out when the cake wasn't delivered on time.

"Do you need to go too?" Quinn asked Rachel and Santana, who watched despondently as their lovers left the room. Rachel quickly shook her head, putting a false smile on, and turned back to Quinn.

"Don't be silly. They're just helping with the setup. There's still plenty of time before the party." Santana nodded, but she couldn't keep the frown off her face. She distractedly picked up the book they had been reading and started, but Quinn could tell she was distracted by her voice.

"It's okay," she said sadly. "I understand if you don't want to stay here with a cripple."

"What?" The Latina was temporarily shocked into silence.

"Why would you think that?" Rachel asked. Quinn just shrugged.

"We're just worried because it's taking so long," Santana said. "The surgery was supposed to be done by now. You were supposed to be tucked into bed, recovering in a morphine haze before we left. But it hasn't even started yet. I'm just wondering why it's taking so long."

"We just want to make sure you're taken care of," Rachel told her.

"Even if that means we need to miss the party," Santana said, before grinning mischievously. "Although it won't be much of a party without us." The joke worked, and Quinn smiled slightly.

"Beth understands," Rachel reiterated. "She wanted to cancel her party to be here with you when she found out it was on the same day, but it was too late by then. She'll understand if you need us here."

"But I don't," Quinn said bravely. "I'm a big girl. I'm okay. But Beth needs you. And everyone flew in for it. Sam and Mercedes. Puck. And I know they say they came for Beth, but they came for you too. And I'm keeping you from them." Rachel was about to counter when Dr. Mathison came into the room, knocking on the door as he entered.

"Sorry to interrupt," he started, frowning when he saw Rachel with tears in her eyes. He raised an eyebrow curiously, but she waved away his concern and quickly dried her eyes. "So, the tests are all looking good and I think we're all good to proceed." Quinn nodded bravely. "We're preparing the OR now, so in thirty minutes or so."

"Thank you, Doctor," Judy automatically responded. Dr. Mathison nodded, then motioned them outside. "Quinn. I'm just going to have a word with the doctor outside. Holler if you need anything."

"That's okay," Quinn told her. "I was in the middle of a chapter anyway." She pulled out her Ipod, awkwardly put in the earbuds with one hand, and hit play. The group watched her for a minute before joining the doctor outside.

"Okay. What the hell is going on?" Santana asked, letting her confusion out as anger. "If she doesn't remember anything from your doctor's appointment till today, how does she know about the party? How does she even know Sam and Mercedes's names? Or remember what chapter she was on in her Ipod?"

"I don't know," Dr. Mathison admitted. "As you know I've been consulting with Dr. Evans. During her sessions and through her medication we've been trying to stimulate the parts of her brain that are dormant." Judy nodded. They had gone over their plan for Quinn before she was released into her care.

"It's working," Rachel added. "She seems more herself every day."

"That's good to hear," the doctor said, "but unfortunately there is no magic pill or even a finish line to aim for with the brain. Even with all our modern advances, the brain is still extremely mysterious. While it seems our treatment plan has been working, occasionally something will happen that will trigger parts of her brain to wake up suddenly and sporadically, but before she can fully understand what happened they go dormant again. When that happens, she gets subconsciously confused and irritated."

"And she gets headaches and starts rubbing her eyes," Rachel said, eyes widening in understanding.

"That's my theory," Dr. Mathison agreed. "Dr. Evans agrees. Normally when these triggers happen, the part of her brain that wakes up goes to sleep again and she forgets or lets go."

"When she has her episodes," Santana filled in. Dr. Mathison nodded.

"But something happened last night that she refused to let go. It caused too much stress and her body automatically shut down."

"All because we had to show her that fucking video," Santana growled, punching the wall in frustration. Dr. Mathison quickly grabbed the Latina's hand, examining the bleeding knuckles.

"I am so sorry," Rachel sobbed to Judy, tears streaming down her face. "I had no idea."

"It wasn't your fault," Judy told her, pulling the Diva into a hug. "You didn't know. I didn't know. It was an accident." She held Rachel tightly why the young woman cried.

"It doesn't look like anything's broken," Dr. Mathison said, "but next time find a bag and some gloves." One of the nurses came and quickly bandaged the bleeding knuckles before handing Santana an ice pack.

"Just to give you fair warning, I am going to go home and castrate your husband."

"He didn't know," Rachel defended him, emerging from Judy's arms. "But I am going to talk to him. Then I'm going to destroy those videos."

"Whoa," Dr. Mathison cautioned. "Don't do anything rash. She might still want to see them." Rachel and Santana both shook their heads.

"Not if it does this," Santana deadpanned.

"It does this today," he countered. "But who knows what will happen in a month. In a year." He sighed, looking at Judy for help. "We know that those videos are a trigger, so definitely wait until she's ready, but there's no reason to get rid of them entirely."

"We'll hide them until she's ready," Judy exclaimed. The girls nodded.

"If there's nothing else I need to prepare." Dr. Mathison nodded to each of them as he left to get ready for the surgery. The nurse looked up.

"We'll be in in about twenty minutes to prepare her." They nodded and went back into the room. Quinn had her eyes closed.

"Honey?" Judy carefully touched her shoulder. Quinn didn't open her eyes, but she did stop her Ipod and reach up and take her earbuds out. Quinn nodded, her eyes filling with tears but she refused to let them fall.

"When does the party start?" she asked, her voice husky with unshed tears. Rachel quickly checked her watch.

"It started about five minutes ago." Quinn finally opened her eyes.

"I want you to go to the party." Rachel shook her head.

"I can't do that," she protested, but Quinn reached out for her hand. Rachel quickly grabbed it.

"I want you to go to the party," she repeated. "I want you to tell Beth how much I love her and that I wish I was at her party instead of here. And I want you to go and have fun and make that little girl's night. You too San."

"Fine," Santana said thickly, reaching out and placing her hand on Quinn's arm, "but we're not leaving until they wheel you into surgery." Quinn nodded. They just sat there giving and taking strength until the nurse came in.

"I'm sorry, but I need to prepare her." They nodded.

"We'll see you in a minute Q," Santana promised.

"I'm sorry, but as soon as I'm done I'm taking her over to surgery. Only her mother will be able to accompany her from this point." Santana glared at her.

"Have fun," Quinn called out softly. They squeezed her hand as they turned to leave. Once they were gone Quinn held out her hand. "Mom?"

"I'm right here honey," Judy said, grabbing her hand tightly.

"Ma'am," the nurse said politely. Judy nodded.

"I'll be right outside honey," she promised, "and I'll be holding your hand the whole way." Quinn nodded, letting go of her hand just as the tears started to fall. Judy managed to make it out of the room before her own tears appeared, but she managed to force them back. "Just a few minutes longer," she promised herself, "then you can break down. But you have to be strong for Quinn right now." She forced the tears back just as the door opened and Quinn was wheeled out. Judy quickly took her hand again. "I'm right here Quinnie," she promised as they started walking down the hall. She briefly caught a glimpse of Rachel and Santana at the opposite end, but they turned a corner and were gone.

"Mommy?" Quinn asked in a childlike voice. She had been given a sedative and most of her anxiety was gone, but it was obvious she was fighting the medication.

"I'm here Quinnie," Judy kept repeating as they made their way deeper into the hospital. Judy had no idea where they were going and no idea how to get back to Quinn's room, but right now she didn't care. Her complete attention was on her daughter.

"It looks like we are a few minutes early," the nurse said when they came to a stop outside some double doors. "Let me go check what the holdup is. Are you okay here?" Judy nodded as she moved closer to her daughter.

"Mommy?" Quinn said again, weakly lifting her hand up.

"I'm here baby," Judy told her, gathering up her hand and holding it to her face.

"I want to remember you," she said woozily, her hand slowly tracing her mother's face. Judy didn't even try to hide her tears.

"Everything's going to be okay," she promised. "Just go to sleep and when you wake up it will all be better."

"Is daddy going to keep us away again?" she asked.

"What?" Judy gasped.

"Every time I go to the hospital, daddy is there when I wake up," Quinn explained sleepily. "I miss daddy but I don't want you to go away again."

"I'll never go away again baby," she promised, reaching out to trace Quinn's face with her hand. "And I will be here when you wake up."

"Promise you'll never forget me?"

"I couldn't even if I tried," Judy promised. Quinn nodded, her eyes falling closed as she finally succumbed to the sedative.

"They're ready," the nurse said quietly as she approached. "If you wait for just a moment I'll take Quinn in and then escort you back to her room." Judy nodded, forcing her hand away from her daughter. A few minutes later she was being led back to her room. "Dr. Mathison said he would come and find you after the surgery is complete, but Quinn will need to spend a few hours in recovery before she is returned here."

"It won't be a problem for me to spend the night?" Judy asked. The nurse shook her head.

"Dr. Mathison has already cleared it," she said, opening the door. "But unfortunately, that will only apply to you." Judy looked confused until she saw Rachel and Santana waiting in the room. "Everyone else will need to leave at the end of visiting hours and return tomorrow."

"I understand," Judy told her. "Thank you." The nurse nodded and left the room. Judy turned back to the girls. "I thought you left for the party?" Santana shrugged.

"Tobey needed a bathroom break," she said quietly. Judy looked down. Tobey was lying underneath the bed in the same spot he had been since they arrived. He was being so quiet Judy had actually forgotten he was there. "He's family and we protect family. Even if it's just picking up number twos."

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked, eying the tear tracks on her cheeks easily. Judy nodded, but broke down crying.

"She thought she would wake up and Russel would be here. She thought we would all just abandon her."

"No wonder she was distracted," Santana said angrily. "Remind me to kick the shit out of him the next time we meet. No scratch that. I don't need reminding for this."

"Santana," she scolded. "Don't let him ruin this family any more than he has." Santana nodded, visibly reigning in her anger. "Don't you have a party to get too?" Rachel held up her phone sheepishly.

"They've been asking for updates every two minutes," she said hurriedly. "I needed to turn my phone off just to keep it quiet. You should have seen the looks we were getting in the waiting room."

"We promised Beth we wouldn't leave until Quinn was in surgery," Santana explained. "Which I guess she is now." She began gathering up her things. Rachel did the same.

"Tell me as soon as you know something," Rachel begged.

"I will," Judy promised. "As soon as I hear anything."

"If you don't you can expect this room to be overrun," Santana threatened. "Visiting hours be damned." Judy smiled as she watched the two girls leave until the door closed behind them. She let the smile fade as she sunk into a chair. She looked around, suddenly incredibly lonely, until she remembered Tobey.

"Tobey." She called quietly. Tobey stuck his head out. She patted her knee gently and he quietly moved toward her, whining softly. He sat down next to her, putting his head in her lap. "I miss her too," she told the dog, "but she'll be back." Tobey huffed, but stayed where he was. Judy scratched behind his ear before realizing he was probably hungry. She remembered packing some food and a bowl for him, but was so distracted since arriving she had forgotten to feed him. She pulled her purse out, surprised to find the food was half gone and the bowl was wet. Someone obviously took care of him. She took a couple pieces of dog food in her hand. "Are you hungry?" she asked, holding the food out in front of him. He looked at it before huffing and returning his eyes to her. "Me neither," she said as she put the food back in the bag. They sat like that for hours before Judy heard the door open.

"Mrs. Fabray." Judy looked up. Dr. Mathison entered the room quietly, letting the door shut behind him. Judy started to stand but he shooed her back down, dropping into a chair himself. He still wore his scrubs, and Judy could see a bit of blood on the corner of a sleeve. He looked exhausted.

"Doctor?" she asked breathlessly, on the verge of panicking. She didn't realize she was this worried, even though she told herself a thousand times that this was a routine surgery. He reached over and scratched Tobey's ears, smiling brightly.

"She did fine," he said after a minute, smiling brightly. Judy released the breath she was holding. "There was a bit more scar tissue than I thought there would be, which is why it took a bit longer than originally estimated, but she did wonderfully."

"So, what now?" Judy asked, feeling extremely relieved.

"Now we wait," he told her. "We'll make a follow-up appointment for a month or so and reevaluate at that time."

"But what about now?" Judy asked again. "Right now. When can I take her home." The doctor nodded in understanding.

"She needs to spend a couple hours in recovery, it's hospital policy, then she'll come back to the room. She's definitely spending the night here, and I would like for her to spend one more night but that is negotiable. We'll know more when she wakes up."

"And when will that be?" Judy asked.

"Sometime tomorrow probably," he told her. "She might wake up briefly tonight, but I doubt she'll remember if she does."

"Thank you," she told him as he stood to leave. She shook his hand.

"If you need anything, Dr. Thomas is the unlucky bastard who gets the overnight shift, but he's still a damned good doctor." Judy nodded. "And they can always get a hold of me if they need to."

"Thank you," Judy told him again. He nodded to her respectfully then left the room. Judy looked down at Tobey. "I guess we wait again," she said before remembering her promise. She pulled out her phone and typed out a message to Rachel. A few minutes after hitting send she needed to turn her phone off to stop the messages coming in. Neither of them moved after that, until Tobey raised his head and looked at the door. Judy knew what that meant and shot to her feet just as Quinn was wheeled back to her room.

"She did beautifully," the nurse told her as Judy reached out to touch her daughter.

"She looks pale," Judy commented as two orderlies transferred Quinn back to her bed.

"That's normal after surgery," the nurse explained. "It's a combination of the anesthetic, the trauma, and the blood loss. But the trauma is over, the anesthetic is slowly making its way out of her body, and we've already replaced the blood that was lost. She'll look as good as new in a few hours." The orderlies stepped back after she was settled and the nurse stepped up and began attaching monitors to Quinn. When she was done, she looked back at Judy. "The call button is here," she said, pointing out the button with ease. "If you need anything just push it. I'm the night nurse here so I'll be coming in every few hours to check on her anyway."

"Thank you," Judy nodded appreciatively to the younger girl. The nurse smiled at her reassuringly before leaving the room. Tobey came over and put his front paws on the bed, sniffing her intently. He licked her face for a minute before whining and looking at Judy. "She's just sleeping," she told him, before realizing she was trying to reassure a dog. But he knew what she said. He licked her face once more before dropping back to the ground and taking his usual spot underneath the bed. She rubbed her eyes tiredly before moving the chair next to the bed, her hand gripping Quinn's automatically. She didn't know how long she sat there before she heard the commotion outside.

"Judy?" she heard Rachel whisper. Judy motioned her in and wasn't surprised when she was followed by Santana. The rest of the group did surprise her though. Brittany, Finn, Kurt, Blaine, Sam, Mercedes, Puck, Shelby, and Beth. Beth came right up to Judy's side while the others hovered uncertainly in the background. "You didn't answer any of my texts," Rachel said.

"I'm sorry. I turned my phone off." Judy turned it back on, surprised to see how late it was. Visiting hours were almost over.

"Is she okay?" Beth asked, reaching out to touch her arm but stopping just short. Judy smiled.

"She's going to be just fine. You can touch her, just not where the bandages are okay?" Beth nodded and gently ran her hands over Quinn's good arm before giving her a careful hug.

"I love you mommy Quinn," she said quietly. Judy stood to give her a bit of privacy and moved back with the group.

"She ended her party early just so we could make it here in time," Shelby told her. "How is everything really?" As the only other mother in that group, she understood things that the others couldn't.

"I've never been so scared in my life," Judy admitted, "but it's over now and everything is okay."

"You're not the only one," Puck said quietly. Judy smiled at him, realizing for the first time how much he truly cared for her daughter.

"She's coming home soon?" Finn asked. Judy nodded.

"A couple of days, maybe sooner. We'll know more in the morning." The young adults nodded. "That reminds me. We have to be very careful with what we tell her and show her." Finn looked down in shame. It was his idea for the videos and he knew that was his fault.

"We know," Brittany reached out and grabbed his hand supportively. "San told us. We have to be super, extra careful with Quinn. Kind of like you guys are super gentle with me." Brittany didn't sound hurt or spiteful, she merely stated a fact. Judy looked around uncomfortably, but nobody else was concerned. They all looked at Brittany with various degrees of love.

"You're not upset that they," she stopped, correcting herself, "we, sometimes keep things from you? Or simplify things when we talk to you?"

"No," Brittany shook her head. "I know you do it because you love me and don't want me to be sad. I trust you all enough to know if there's something I need to know you'll tell me. Besides, if there's ever something I want to know about I can always look it up on the internet. Me and Lord Tubbington have had some amazing conversations about things on the internet."

"Thank you for being so understanding," she told everybody, but she pulled Britany in for a hug to make it extra special for the young girl. "I just hope Quinn will be as understanding."

"She won't," Brittany said matter-of-factly. "But that's okay cause it will mean our Quinn is coming back."

"Thank you so much everyone," Judy cried just as the nurse came in for her rounds. She didn't say anything about the large group but she did give a pointed look to Judy and looked at her watch exaggeratedly. "I think you're about to be kicked out," Judy said quietly. She stood back as they made their way up to Quinn one at a time to say goodbye. They were trying to be quiet but that many people were bound to make some noise. The nurse glared at them as she stood watching in the back.

"Do you want me to take Tobey?" Finn offered after he finished his goodbye. Judy glanced under the bed, where she could just make out Tobey's form. She didn't want him to go but part of being an adult was putting his needs first.

"It's probably the best," she conceded reluctantly. Finn nodded, and called the dog. He quickly had his leash on and followed the group out of the room. Judy watched them go before she collapsed on the chair, suddenly exhausted. She grabbed Quinn's hand tightly and laid her head down tiredly on the bed. She was asleep when the nurse did her next rounds.

Quinn did wake up in the middle of the night, groggy and disoriented. Judy quickly reassured her she is safe and not with Russel. She had a dopey smile as she drifted back to sleep. The next morning, she didn't remember.


	28. Chapter 28

Warnings and disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Over the next few weeks the group developed a routine. Quinn was released the next day and Judy was able to bring her home under strict bedrest for the rest of the week. Mercedes, Sam, and Puck stopped by the apartment before they leave to return home. They had a farewell dinner, which Beth and Shelby came to as well, but nobody dared push Quinn any more. It's still a happy event and everybody was grinning and crying when it was time to call it a night. They left the next day.

Brittany also left a few days after that. The tour, which she has been preparing for, was finally under way. The tour kicked off in New York and they all went to the concert to support her. She tearfully hugged everybody as she got on the bus. She will be gone three months.

For the first few days everyone was sad, but by the end of the first month Santana became unbearable. Rachel and Finn, who experienced this side of their friend before, were able to bear her attitude with dignity. Santana never really did blow up at Judy, the elder Fabray was still treated with the respect ingrained by her parents, but that didn't stop Santana from being a bitch to Quinn.

Surprisingly, it was Quinn who blew up at the Latina, telling her if she misses her girlfriend that much she should just join her. Santana barricaded herself in her bedroom, emerging a few hours later with her bags packed. Everyone thought she was just being melodramatic until they got a call from Mercedes, who was wondering if they finally kicked the Latina out of the state. Santana finally told them she's going to spend the rest of the tour with Mercedes. The tour hits many spots on the Pacific coast, and isn't nearly as hectic as it was in the beginning, so there will be plenty of opportunities to see Brittany if she stays in LA.

Nathan also started coming by more regularly. At first, they just sat and talked, since she is still on bedrest at that time, but eventually they start tutoring again. The others are eager to help and Quinn remembers better when they are all helping her relearn. Quinn also starts physical therapy again after her week of bedrest.

Dr. Mathison wanted her arm as immobile as possible so she must wear an uncomfortable body brace whenever she's awake and a slightly less uncomfortable arm brace when she sleeps. The only time she's allowed to remove the brace is for bathing, and even then, she isn't supposed to use her arm at all. She tried once and nearly passed out from the pain.

Her inability to use her arm doesn't deter Adam at all though. He focuses all his attention on her legs, much to Quinn's dismay. She always tried to steer the focus back up to her upper body, which she had control off, but now she has no choice but to let him work her legs. She hated this. She still has no feeling in her legs and it seemed like a waste of time to her, but Adam happily stretched and worked her unresisting legs.

Rachel continued to dazzle audiences up on Broadway. She was starting to get a loyal fan base. The paparazzi, which had just started to leave Quinn and Judy alone, were starting to follow Rachel now, especially when they saw all three of them together. After that it was hard to go anywhere without at least one photographer following them.

Finn had the most changes in his life during this time. He decided to really focus on himself for once. With Rachel's blessing, he started attending several different seminars and classes to try and figure out what he wanted to do. Photography, art, construction, sales, computing, landscaping, design, even self-defense, which was the only one he loved but couldn't think of any way to make a career out of it. He took a cooking class, which he hated but he stuck with it, so he could cook for his family. Everyone except Santana endured his early cooking days supportively, but by the time she left for LA even she had to admit his culinary skills had come a long way. He wouldn't be opening any restaurants soon, but he could keep his family from starving.

Finn felt pretty good about helping out around the house. He wasn't sure if he wanted his career to be a househusband, but for right now it suited him. He helped Quinn out more and more, around the apartment and even at her various appointments. Judy was starting to feel like she wasn't needed anymore.

"Quinn?" Judy asked one day when they were driving back from her physical therapy. Finn would normally be in the backseat with Quinn, chatting away and distracting her from the dark thoughts she always got in therapy, but he had to take Tobey to the vet and had to miss today.

"Yeah?" Quinn said tiredly. Between no Finn and no Tobey, she wasn't having a good day at all.

"I wanted to talk to you about something." Quinn nodded, giving her mother her full attention. "How do you like living with Rachel?"

"It's okay," she said distractedly. A few minutes later she realized what Judy asked and sat up straighter. "I mean I love it. Are you going to make us move? Are you taking me back to Ohio? Is daddy coming to get me?"

"No!" Judy said forcefully at that last one. "Nothing like that I promise." Quinn calmed down slightly, sitting back in the seat, but staring straight ahead. "When we moved in with Rachel it was because I couldn't find anything else in the city. Things have changed since then. Your father's fall from grace has opened up many doors that he closed."

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked hesitantly.

"If you want to look for a place of our own we can do that now." Judy carefully watched her daughter through the rear-view mirror. "I've already made a few inquiries and have browsed online, but we can take it to the next level and actively start searching if you want to."

"What do you want?" Quinn whispered.

"Honestly, I've never been a fan of big cities," Judy told her. "That's why I chose Lima. I prefer the small-town vibe over the city that never sleeps." Quinn's face fell. "But I would never make you come back to Lima unless you wanted to. I remember how much you wanted to get out of there."

"I really like staying with Rachel and Finn," Quinn said, "but I'll understand if you want to go home." Quinn tried to be brave for her mother, but Judy could see her lip trembling in fear.

"How about we do a trial run?" Judy asked. Quinn looked puzzled. "There's a real estate conference coming up in two weeks. Me and a group of friends from Ohio were planning on going. We've been preparing for it all year long. Of course, that was before I found you." Quinn smiled at the thought of her mother having fun. "It's a four-day conference in Boston, which isn't too far from here. Finn has proven he can help you and I can be back in a couple of hours if you need me." Quinn looked uncertain. "Quinn? Honey what are you thinking? Do Finn or Rachel make you uncomfortable?" Quinn shook her head.

"They're great," Quinn told her mother. "It's just, Dr. Mathison still won't let me take the brace off so I still need help changing."

"Rachel's helped you change before." Quinn nodded, blushing and looking down. "So has Finn," Judy added, understanding her daughter's reluctance.

"What if I need help in the bathroom?" she asked quietly.

"He's helped there too," Judy said. Quinn jerked her head up.

"He has?" she asked bewildered. "He always seems so uncomfortable whenever I mention those things."

"That's because he is a true gentleman," Judy explained. "He's uncomfortable because he always tries so hard to make you comfortable."

"When has he helped?" Quinn asked, searching her memory. It was a futile attempt.

"Right after the surgery. You were still a bit out of it for a couple of days and I needed help with you. I'm not ashamed to admit I used his muscle." She let Quinn think about it the rest of the trip home. Once they reached the apartment Judy helped Quinn transfer to her chair. "Just think about it," she told her daughter as she pushed her towards the entrance. "Finn has shown he's more than willing to help out in whatever way he can and Rachel promised she would come running at the drop of a hat." They were both quiet, thinking about things as they made their way through the hallways. Judy stopped them just outside their door. "Just think about it for a few days. And it's okay if you're not ready." Quinn nodded as they entered their apartment. Tobey was immediately there to greet her. She felt better when he licked her fingers but then she remembered why he had to go to the vet.

"Is he okay?" she asked desperately.

"He's fine," Finn answered, squeezing her shoulder reassuredly. "He just tore a nail. Nathan said he does that all the time and told me which vet to take him too." Quinn nodded but wasn't reassured. She patted her lap and Tobey placed his paw on her knee. She carefully examined his paw, her fingers gently tracing the bandage he had to wear.

"I guess we match now," she laughed. Tobey barked in agreement. She scratched behind his ears then motioned him down. "Does that mean we can't play for a while?"

"Well," Finn started, "the vet said no roughhousing until he gets his bandage off so no tug of war or fetch, but we can take him for a short walk. You can hold the leash and I'll hold on to you and he can pull us both. You interested?"

"Yeah," Quinn said, reaching for her coat before remembering she hadn't taken it off yet. Instead her fingers found his leash dangling in its spot next to his service animal vest. She debated about putting it on but decided he didn't need to be working right now. Tobey came right over when he saw what she was reaching for, waiting patiently for Quinn to hook him up while Finn grabbed his own jacket.

"Don't worry Mrs. F. I won't keep her out too long."

"You kids have fun," Judy called out as they left the apartment. For a minute, she was lost in nostalgia. It was just Quinn and her first boyfriend going out on a date. She let herself indulge for a minute before pulling herself back to reality. She busied herself by making diner, something Finn would normally be doing. Rachel glanced curiously at her when she got home, sitting down at the island and watching.

"So, is my husband out on a date with your daughter?" she asked seriously. Judy froze.

"Would it be wrong if I said yes?" Rachel managed to glare at her for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.

"Don't worry. I trust Finn and I trust Quinn. And he already cleared it with me before you got home."

"He did?" Judy asked. "It seemed so spontaneous." Rachel shook her head.

"He wanted to do something special for Quinn. He could tell she was a bit down when Tobey hurt himself." Rachel paused, lost in thought. "He just didn't want to say anything and get her hopes up in case the vet vetoed the idea."

"He could have mentioned it to me," Judy complained, stirring the pot before putting the lid back on. "I've been trying to cheer her up all day." Rachel smiled before turning quiet again. "Is anything wrong Rachel?" Judy asked, sensing the younger girl had something on her mind. Rachel sighed before looking up.

"Are you going to leave?" Judy froze, the knife she was using dropping to the cutting board. She turned to look at the Diva.

"What?"

"I didn't mean to snoop," Rachel quickly explained. "It was just sitting there, out for anyone to see." Judy sighed, cleaning her hands before sitting next to the young girl.

"When I agreed to this it was because I had nowhere else to go," Judy started. Rachel nodded, remembering the elder Fabray's desperate search for housing. A search that Russel made impossible. "I will always be grateful to you for opening your home to us, but we knew going in it would be a temporary thing."

"I wouldn't mind if it's permanent," Rachel said. Judy smiled.

"I wouldn't mind either," she said, "but the decision isn't mine. It's Quinn's."

"What?" Rachel asked. "She loves it here. Doesn't she?"

"She loves it because she doesn't know any better. The only other home she has ever know has been Russel's. And I imagine this is heaven compared to his home." Rachel nodded, agreeing with that statement. "Now I'm not saying she wants to leave, but I want her to be aware of all the possibilities, because eventually she will want to try living on her own."

"As long as that day is years down the road," Rachel grumbled, before looking at Judy. "You've been mentioning Quinn a lot, but you haven't mentioned anything about how you feel." Judy sighed.

"I was never built for the big city," she admitted. "I know all you kids were desperate to get out of Lima, and the thought that anyone would choose to live there must seem incredibly foreign to you, but that is my home and I miss it."

"So you're going back?" Rachel asked. "Quinn needs you."

"Quinn needed me," Judy countered, "and I'll always be here for my daughter. But she has gotten so much better. And she has you and Finn, Santana and Brittany, even Kurt and Blaine are ready to come at a phone call. She doesn't need me."

"And you're starting to feel out of place," Rachel sighed. Judy nodded. "It's the way I felt all through High School." Judy smiled at her, reaching around go give her a hug.

"I'm not going to disappear overnight. I'm going to take it slow. I just barely mentioned it to Quinn this afternoon. And I will always be here. For any of you." They looked up when the door opened. They broke away, quickly drying the tears that they didn't realize fell. Finn looked curious but Quinn was oblivious. While Rachel and Finn went to set the table, Quinn waited for her mother by the island. "Did you have a good time sweetie?"

"Yeah," Quinn nodded, before looking up. "Mom? I think I'm ready." Judy smiled down at her, reaching over to give her a huge hug. "But only for the weekend. Right?"

"Right." Judy agreed. "Why don't you go tell everyone the good news."

"Good news?" Quinn looked confused. Judy smiled.

"That mom is leaving for the weekend." Quinn looked even more confused. "Go tell them. They'll know what it means."

"Okay," Quinn said uncertainly as Judy pushed her towards the dining room. She went back to the kitchen in time to hear several whoops from Finn while Rachel tried to explain to Quinn. She smiled as she dished up the food. She was certain they all had been on their best behavior while she was here, except for Santana of course, and was happy to give them a chance to let loose. She just didn't want to be here when it happened.


	29. Chapter 29

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

The next few weeks passed by quickly for Quinn. She alternated between excitement at the thought of being on her own, and terror at the same thought. Nobody tried to tell her how she should feel or act, for which she was thankful. All too soon the time came. Judy hugged and kissed her goodbye before Finn took her to the airport. Quinn was a nervous wreck, but by the time her mother returned she could admit to herself she had nothing to worry about. When Judy returned, Quinn talked her ear off about all the fun she had. Judy smiled the entire time.

The next big event was the end of Rachel's Broadway show. It was coming up quickly, which also meant Blaine would soon be taking Quinn on her very first date. Quinn was feeling nervous again, and asked Judy hundreds of questions in the days leading up to it. Judy was starting to get annoyed so she announced she would be spending the day with Shelby at a spa.

"How am I going to get ready?" Quinn asked her mother. Judy smirked.

"Have a good day darling," she said as she left the apartment. Quinn looked around, stunned.

"Don't worry Quinn," Kurt said suddenly. Quinn jumped. She didn't even know he was here. "You are in my hands now and I will make you fabulous." With that he began sprouting off ideas so fast that Quinn could barely keep up. She had no idea how, but he had somehow gotten her ready and out of the apartment without her realizing it.

"Kurt?" She stopped him as he was getting her into the car. "Where are we going?"

"Shopping of course," he answered smoothly. "Followed by the salon. You can't go to Broadway without a makeover." He grinned as he started the car. Quinn found his enthusiasm catching and was suddenly excited. He chatted inconsequently as they tried dress after dress. Quinn wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he suddenly gasped. "This is the one!" he squealed with happiness. "Of course, I'll have to change my entire makeup scheme. I was thinking you could get away with a light autumn touch, but this dress definitely screams spring. How do you feel about adding some darker streaks to your hair? I promise you will look amazing."

"Whatever you say," she said automatically, "but what about my arm? I still have to wear this ugly brace. It's going to make your masterpiece a disaster."

"Fear not fair maiden," Kurt told her. "The dress is but the base of the outfit. What really brings the whole look together is the accessories. I'm thinking a shawl, draped gracefully around your shoulders. Maybe a broach or a stunning necklace. Oh, and we can't forget the shoes. I am so glad Judy let me have her credit card for this." They were off again, Kurt leading her through the various stores. She had no idea what they were looking for, but he apparently did. They ate a delicious lunch, Kurt's pick, before heading to the salon. Kurt told the stylist exactly what he dreamed then settled in for a quick touch up himself.

"You don't really have a fashion show, do you?" Quinn asked him when she realized she had spent the whole day with him. "I'd understand if you wanted to go with Blaine instead of me."

"Oh honey," Kurt comforted her. "I did have a fashion show. At least until the venue had some plumbing problems and everything was postponed indefinitely."

"So why don't you want to go with Blaine?" she asked curiously.

"He already had a date," Kurt answered honestly. Quinn smiled then turned towards him.

"This isn't a real date, is it?" Kurt stopped what he was doing, dismissed the stylist and turned Quinn so they were face to face. He grabbed her hand tightly.

"You do know Blaine is gay, right?" Kurt asked. She nodded her head. "Do you know what that means?"

"He likes you. He's your boyfriend."

"Not just that sweetie," Kurt told her. "He's attracted to men, just like I am. We love each other and we're gonna get married someday, but even we broke up tomorrow, he would still be attracted to other men."

"He doesn't like me?" Quinn asked quietly. "Is it because I'm gross?"

"He likes you as a friend," Kurt told her. "No, scratch that. He loves you as a friend. He just doesn't find women, in general, attractive romantically. It's not you. It's totally him."

"Then why is he pretending?" Quinn asked.

"He wants to make this night special for you," he told her. "And we all agree that you need to go out on a true date with a true gentleman so that when you date for yourself you will know the difference between a gentleman and someone just trying to get in your pants."

"Why would anyone want my pants?" Quinn asked.

"Oh boy," Kurt exclaimed, looking to the sky for divine intervention. Quinn started giggling. Kurt scowled at her. "You almost gave me a heart attack."

"I'm sorry. I couldn't resist." Kurt scowled for another minute before smiling.

"I'll forgive you this time," he said, before grinning evilly. "You should use that line on Rachel. She will have a heart attack." They both laughed for a minute before he turned serious. "But you do know what I was talking about, right?"

"I think so, but I don't think I'm ready for that," she admitted.

"That's okay. Nobody should force you to do something you're not one hundred percent ready for. If someone really cares about you, he'll understand and not push. But there are guys out there who won't care or only think about what they want. We just want to make sure you know what a good date feels like."

"So I'll know a bad date cause it won't feel the same," Quinn tried to understand.

"Exactly. Plus, when you do start dating, don't be surprised if there's a few chaperones waiting in the wind to punch the poor guy if he tries anything."

"I can see Santana doing that," Quinn giggled again. "Or Finn." She was quiet for a minute. "Why isn't Finn taking me? Mom says we used to date so I know he likes me."

"He loves you," Kurt corrected. "He's also married. Married men usually do not date unless they're up to no good." He motioned the stylist back and he continued where he left off. "He did volunteer you know."

"He did?" Kurt nodded.

"Rachel even okayed it. But then the press started following her around. If the press got hold of something like this they would go crazy. Even if we told them exactly what was going on, some people would never belief us. It's better for everybody if Blaine takes you."

"Is it better for you?" Quinn asked. Kurt smiled.

"I'm surprisingly okay with it. I trust Blaine completely and I must admit it will be nice to have a night on my own."

"If you're sure," she said.

"I'm absolutely positively sure. We can't have you all dressed up with nowhere to go." She smiled as they finished up at the salon. Kurt took her back to her apartment to change and add some light finishing touches. By the time he was satisfied everyone was gathered in the living room. "May I present Miss Quinn Fabray," Kurt announced as he wheeled her out of the room.

"Oh my," Finn said. Judy was crying silently.

"You look amazing," Rachel said, coming over to hug Quinn. "I just want to tell you something. This is my last performance and I'm dedicating it to you."

"Thank you," Quinn whispered. Rachel pulled away and Blaine stepped up.

"Oh my," Kurt swooned behind her. "I might have to change my mind after seeing what he's got on." Quinn giggled.

"Don't be silly," Blaine said, handing her a bouquet of roses. "Tonight, I'm already spoken for." She took the roses, inhaling the scent deeply.

"These smell lovely," she told him. "Thank you."

"I'll just take these and put them in some water," Judy said. Quinn handed over the roses. Blaine reached behind him for a smaller bouquet she could carry with her.

"That is so romantic," Rachel said, eyeing Finn critically.

"What?" Finn asked. "Why are you glaring at me?" Quinn giggled.

"Allow me," Blaine said, stepping behind the wheelchair and taking the handles.

"Where are we going?" Quinn asked.

"It's a surprise," he told her, "but I promise you'll love it. And if you don't I'll just have to try again."

"I might be having a problem with this now," Kurt said as they left the apartment. They both chuckled as they make their way downstairs. Blaine had arranged a horse drawn carriage to take them through Central Park to a botanical garden Quinn had always wanted to visit. They spent hours surrounded by the exotic plants. Blaine would describe everything he was seeing in detail to Quinn, sometimes reading a plaque or information board if there was one. Quinn was immersing herself in this world or strange smells and sounds until it became time for dinner. She was ecstatic when Blaine told her they would be dining inside the garden. The food was incredible and the atmosphere was amazing. She almost didn't want to leave when it was time to head for the show, but she was still excited to see the play. Blaine arranged another horse drawn carriage to take them to the theater.

"Try to remember this one," he joked as they spent a few minutes in the lobby. Quinn nodded, closing her eyes and imagining what the building looked like. Blaine was helpfully describing everything in detail again. She was sure that Nathan did the same thing when he brought her, but it seemed like a lifetime ago and she couldn't remember. She didn't think she'd have any trouble remembering this night though. Finally, the doors opened. People started slowly making their way to their seats.

"Quinn?" Quinn looked over at Rachel's voice. Rachel came up and hugged her and Blaine tightly. "You look amazing. I know I said that before, but you're glowing now. I take it Blaine did good?"

"He did very good," she said dreamily.

"I'll just go tell them we're ready," he said, leaving the two women alone. Rachel nodded.

"I can't stay long. I have to get backstage and finish preparing, but I just wanted to make sure you arrived safely. And remember, tonight when I'm singing, it's all for you." She leaned down and kissed Quinn on the cheek before quickly heading backstage. Quinn had a goofy grin on her face as the usher escorted them to their seats. Quinn could feel the energy of the crowd as they waited for the show to start. When it did Quinn spent the next few hours inside this whole new world. She didn't realize how completely involved she was until it was over.

"What's next?" she asked happily. Blaine grinned.

"Traditionally it would be taking you home with the goodnight kiss," he teased, "but Kurt really would kill me if I went there so I was thinking something more non-traditional. Is that okay?" Quinn nodded, about to ask what he meant when he meant when the question was answered for her.

"Quinn!" Brittany shouted with pleasure, climbing onto Quinn's lap and circling her in a big hug without a care in the world. "You look amazing. Lord Tubbington was right. You are a spring."

"What? Brittany? Is the tour over?" Brittany shook her head.

"Almost. We just flew in today and have to fly out again in a few hours."

"We?" Quinn asked.

"You think I'm gonna let Brit fly across the country on her own?" Santana demanded, marching up to them and flinging her arms around them both. "Damn Q. You clean up good."

"Does it make you want my pants?" she asked sincerely. The Latina blushed before turning behind her.

"Finnept! What have you been teaching her?"

"It wasn't me," he said, holding up his hands in surrender. The Latina went off on him while Blaine leaned in closely.

"We have a tradition with shows in this family. Everyone who can is there at the opening and closing show. You have to have a pretty good reason to miss one."

"What do you do after?" Quinn asked.

"We go and get drunk," Santana told her, finally giving Finn some space. "Tonight, we celebrate Rachel's success."

"I can have a drink?" Quinn asked eagerly.

"No!" everyone shouted at the same time. Quinn flinched at the sudden shouts, but before she could respond Rachel joined them and a round of 'Congratulations' started. Some of the cast and crew joined her and she quickly introduced them to the group. They decided on a place and slowly the group began to disperse.

"I'm sorry I can't stay longer," Shelby said, giving Rachel a long hug, "but someone has school in the morning." Beth grinned before hugging Rachel herself.

"You were amazing. One day I want to sing on Broadway." Rachel smiled down at her.

"Keep practicing and one day you will." Beth beamed. They quickly said goodbye before making their way out of the theater. Slowly the group made their way toward the club. By the time, they were inside Quinn was starting to falter.

"Are you sure you're up for this sweetie?" Judy asked again. "You've already had a busy day."

"I'm good," Quinn said, trying to sound certain, but her head kept bobbing down before she could jerk it back up. "Just for a little while?" she compromised.

"Okay," Judy agreed. "And I guess you can have one drink." Quinn looked up excitedly, getting her second wind. Rachel looked over curiously when Quinn started debating what to order. Judy nodded her head.

"Nothing too heavy," Rachel exclaimed. "I have just the thing." She ordered a drink for Quinn, then decided to have one herself. When the waitress brought the fruity drinks, Santana nodded approvingly. They toasted Rachel, then Santana pulled Brittany away to dance. Kurt and Blaine followed them. Occasionally they would return, just long enough to drink something before pulling someone else out onto the dance floor. Rachel found herself dancing with just about everybody. They even managed to get Quinn to the dance floor once or twice before Judy called it a night.

"I'll make sure they make it to the airport," Finn announced, motioning over to where Brittany and Santana were grinding. They were very conservative with their alcohol consumption, knowing they had to get on a plane in a few hours, but they were still a little tipsy. They looked around for Blaine, but he and Kurt had already disappeared. "Do you want me to come back for you?" Rachel shook her head.

"I'll just go home with Judy and Quinn," she told him. "I'm still new to all this partying. It's exhausting." He nodded, kissed his wife goodnight, then made his way over to the two women. Rachel watched him go before gathering up her purse.

"Should we take a cab?" she asked when they finally made it outside. "Or the theater set me up with a driver. I can call him?"

"Why don't we walk?" Judy suggested. "It's a beautiful night, not to cold, and we only have to go a few blocks." They both agreed and they started walking home. Quinn tried to stay awake as they chit chatted behind her, but the night had finally gotten to her. She fell asleep halfway home.

"I think she had fun," Rachel said, motioning to the blonde.

"I don't think she was the only one," Judy commented. Rachel smiled.

"It was amazing," she admitted. "Plus, I had a line of producers waiting for me after the last curtain fell. They each wanted me for their next play. I swear I have a stack of business cards so big we could play poker with them."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to relax for a couple of weeks then look at every offer critically and think about what I want, not what I have to do to put food on the table." Judy reached out and hugged her.

"I'm so proud of you. And happy."

"Thanks. So, what about you? Are you going to look for apartments?" Judy shook her head.

"Quinn wasn't really interested in that idea. She likes living with you."

"And you?" Rachel looked up carefully.

"I'm going to go home," Judy told her. "Slowly. Baby steps. Start with a day then maybe a weekend. Eventually I might be able to spend whole weeks at a time." Rachel smiled.

"Baby steps." Rachel agreed.


	30. Chapter 30

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Quinn wasn't too upset the next morning when Judy told her about her plan to return home. She had fun while Judy was at her conference, so although she felt anxious in the days leading up to Judy's departure, she was also excited. Judy just left for a weekend that first time. Although she wouldn't admit it, she was almost as anxious as her daughter. When she returned to New York and found Quinn didn't even miss her she knew it was time to head home for good.

"But you'll come back and visit, right?" Quinn asked as she was packing up her bags.

"All the time," she promised. "And I'll definitely be back next week." Quinn nodded. Next week was her doctor's appointment to see how her arm was healing. She really hoped everything was fine, mainly so she could get out of the brace. "And you can always come visit me in Lima. I promise I won't kidnap you and chain you to a chair." Quinn chuckled.

"I don't think I can do that," she commented. "Not by myself." Judy smiled.

"Even Rachel and Finn come home every once in a while, to see their families. I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you tag along."

"Maybe," Quinn smiled. Judy hugged her then started packing again. Quinn helped whenever she could. By the time she was done Quinn was starting to get nervous again. "Mom? Can I come with you to the airport?" Judy looked at her daughter quizzically. She rarely ventured out of the apartment unless she was taking Tobey for a walk. She had never dared to go somewhere as crowded as an airport.

"Sure you can sweetie," she automatically answered. "Finn? Can you get the bags?" Finn nodded, grabbing the bags easily as they made their way to the car. He put the bags in the trunk and helped Quinn get in the back seat. Judy climbed in the back next to her daughter. "Are you sure you're okay with this?" she asked as he eased out into traffic. "It's okay if you're not."

"But you have your ticket," Quinn protested.

"It can be changed," Judy told her, "or even cancelled."

"I'm just scared," Quinn admitted. "Before I've always known when you were going to be back. But now I'm not sure I'll ever see you again."

"You'll see me again," Judy reassured her. She pulled Quinn in for a hug. "How about this. How about we set a date when I will be back? Then you'll know." Quinn nodded into her shoulder. "Well, let's see. Your doctor's appointment is next Friday, so I'll be back next Wednesday."

"Okay," Quinn mumbled into her shirt. Judy held her until they parked at the airport. Quinn braved the airport, staying with her mother as long as possible. "Mom?" Quinn asked quietly, silent tears streaming down her face. Judy had gotten checked in and was about to head to security. "If I ever need you?"

"I'll come running," she promised. She gave Quinn a final hug before getting in line. They waited until she went through. She turned and waved before heading to her gate. Quinn sighed.

"I feel like some ice cream," Finn said as he pushed her back through the terminal toward the car. "How about you?"

"With some hot fudge?" Quinn asked shyly.

"Is there any other way?" Finn replied. Quinn grinned, knowing Finn was saying that just to cheer her up. But it worked. By the time they had their sundaes and were back at the apartment she was happy again. When Judy came the next week, Quinn was happy to see her. Her doctor's appointment went fine. She was finally able to get that brace off. She celebrated by doing laps in her wheelchair, something the doctor had expressly forbidden before. She tired herself out after a couple of laps, but she was glad she was able to push herself again. Judy stayed a couple extra days to make sure Quinn was fine. There were no tears when she left this time.

She was excited to get back to physical therapy after losing the brace. Adam grudgingly agreed that she could start working her arms again, as long as she didn't completely ignore her legs. She was starting to get stronger again. Her tutoring was going well. Everything was finally falling into place. So, of course, something had to go wrong.

It started with a tickle in the back of her throat. She ignored it and kept going. A few days later she got a headache. She had gotten them on and off for as long as she could remember, so she had plenty of practice ignoring them. One day she woke up as tired as she was when she went to bed. The tickle had started to hurt now, leaving her throat raw. "Mom?" she called quietly, before remembering her mother had left. She reached blindly for her phone. "Call Judy Fabray," she said into the device.

"Quinn?" she heard a few minutes later. Her mother's voice sounded tired. "It's the middle of the night. Is everything okay?"

"It is?" Quinn asked. She almost always slept the night through so she didn't even question whether it was morning or not. No wonder she was still tired. "Everything's fine," she said after a minute. "I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Okay," Judy said uncertainly. "Do you want to talk?" Quinn nodded and started talking with her mother. They talked about trivial matters, Quinn letting the sound of her voice soothe her more than anything else could. Finally, Judy realized she had been having a one-sided conversation for the last ten minutes. "Quinn? Are you still there?" She spoke quietly, just in case Quinn had fallen asleep.

"Mmm," Quinn said, half asleep.

"Goodnight sweetie," Judy said quietly. She listened for another minute before ending the call. Quinn was already back asleep. When she woke up she felt worse than ever. She laid in bed, in no hurry to start her day. Instead, she tried to go back to sleep.

"Quinn?" Rachel called out after a bit. She knocked lightly on the door. "Are you still in bed?"

"Umm," Quinn called out, trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes. "I'm almost up. You can come in though." Rachel slowly opened the door, carefully looking into the room before stepping in. She frowned.

"You look terrible," she commented.

"Rough morning," Quinn told her. "I was up late reading." Rachel nodded. "What time is it?"

"Almost noon," Rachel told her. "Nathan is waiting in the living room, but if you're not feeling up for it."

"No, I'm good," Quinn said, pushing herself into a sitting position. She wavered slightly with a dizzy spell.

"You sure?" Rachel asked. Quinn could hear the worry in her voice. She could imagine Rachel going over her mental checklist. She reached out, putting her hand on the blonde's forehead. Quinn instinctively jerked back.

"I'm sure," Quinn tried to sound certain. She knew Rachel was worried. A worried Rachel turned into an overprotective Rachel. She could almost hear the Diva planning her trip to the hospital. "I'm okay. Really. Just having a slow morning."

"If you're sure." Rachel frowned again, reaching out for Quinn's shoulder. Quinn allowed the contact, even leaned into it before straightening up.

"I'm sure." Rachel nodded. Quinn smiled brightly. She really didn't want to go back to the hospital, not so soon after escaping.

"Okay," Rachel finally conceded. "Should I tell Nathan you're not feeling up to tutoring today?"

"No. Just give me a minute." She reached out, pulling her wheelchair closer to her. Locking the brakes, she slowly transferred over.

"Do you need a hand?" Quinn shook her head. Since getting the brace off, she had been able to shower and get dressed without needing any help. "I'll be entertaining our guest. If you need anything just shout." Quinn nodded. She felt Rachel watching her as she pushed herself to the bathroom, but she made no move to follow when Quinn shut the door behind her. As soon as the door shut, Quinn let herself slump over.

"You can do this," she psyched herself up. "You used to do this all the time." With that encouragement, she got undressed and into the shower. The shower helped rejuvenate her so much she almost felt normal again. She realized she was sick, but instead of telling everybody and getting a trip to the doctor again, she decided to just pretend she was fine. It wasn't the first time she had done this. Her father hated showing any physical weakness. He had kept her so isolated she could only remember getting sick a couple of times with him, but when she did he insisted she act normally. She did and after a few days she felt better. She thought the same thing would happen here.

She finished her shower and dried off as best she could. She wheeled over to the sink and brushed her teeth, reaching automatically for her medicine. Her hand shook as she pulled the giant pillbox down. The pills, safely enclosed in their appropriate slots jiggled as she placed it on the counter. Her fingers brushed along the little boxes until she found one right one and pulled it away from the rest. She ran her fingers across the lid, making sure it was her Thursday morning pills before palming them and putting the case back in its slot.

She grabbed a glass of water and downed the lot. She briefly wondered what they did. She was sure they had explained all of her medication with her, but she couldn't remember and didn't want to ask. All she knew is someone loaded up her pillbox for her every week. As she put the pillbox back in its spot, she wondered about getting something to help her feel better. Medicine was unheard of when she lived with her father, but everything was so different here. She had slowly gotten accustomed to her daily medicine, and whenever they thought she needed more they happily gave it, but she had never asked for medicine before and had no idea how to do that. She also worried that if she asked for something they would send her right back to the hospital. She simply decided to ignore it. She returned to her bedroom, got dressed, then went out to meet her tutor.

"Hey," Rachel greeted when she finally rolled down the hallway. "I was about ready to come check on you."

"Sorry," Quinn apologized. "I couldn't decide what to wear." Rachel frowned, obviously not believing her for a minute, but decided not to push.

"I made you breakfast," she told her, directing Quinn toward the kitchen instead of the living room. Quinn's stomach churned at the thought of food, but she made herself smile.

"Thank you," she replied automatically when Rachel put the plate in front of her.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Nathan asked. "I got a late start too and had to miss breakfast."

"Of course not," Rachel told him, dishing up a plate for him before making one for herself. "I was planning on having breakfast for lunch anyway."

"Have you decided on your next project?" Nathan asked. Rachel smiled.

"I have, but the producers want to keep it a secret right now. And you don't look trustworthy." Nathan laughed and Quinn smiled at both of them. She knew they were trying to distract her, even if they didn't know what they were distracting her from. She took a small bite then started pushing the food around on her plate when her stomach protested.

"So Quinn," Nathan said after an hour when they had both finished and were watching Quinn play with her food. She had taken a couple more bites when she felt her stomach could handle it, but nothing like she normally would. "I thought we would just review today. Relax over the weekend and on Tuesday we can try that practice test. It finally came." Quinn nodded. She made her way to the couch. Nathan followed her. Soon they were reviewing various material, though Quinn kept falling asleep. Eventually Nathan left. Rachel offered to help Quinn get back into bed, but Quinn declined. She tried to stay up until she would normally go to bed, but she had no idea if she actually made it. She didn't actually remember going to bed.


	31. Chapter 31

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

The next morning was actually worse. Finn actually had to wake her up for her PT. She felt sluggish and achy and didn't even try to interact with anyone. She tried her best during therapy, but she could tell she wasn't fooling Adam. He didn't call her out on it, though, but he scaled back their exercises. Even with the light workout she was exhausted by the time they were done.

"You feeling okay?" Finn asked after he got her back into the car. He looked back when she didn't answer. She was asleep. He sighed as he pulled into traffic. He turned on the radio and quietly sang along as he made his way home. He pulled into their spot at the apartment complex, looking in the rear-view mirror to check on Quinn. "Quinn?" he called softly. She slept on. He climbed out of the car and circled to the back seat. He opened the door, unbuckled her, and shook her shoulder gently. "Quinn?" She mumbled something unintelligently but didn't wake up. He decided to forego the wheelchair and just carry her to the apartment. She woke up a bit when he struggled with the door. He smiled down at her. "Hey you. Need anything?"

"Bath?" she asked hesitantly, automatically reverting to her fallback remedy.

"Sure." He smiled down at her, but she was already out again. He changed direction, heading for his room instead of hers. He laid her down on the bed. "I'm just gonna go run the bath," he told her, even though he didn't think she heard him. "I'll be right back." He waited for a minute to see if she would respond. When she didn't move he quietly made his way to the bathroom.

As the bath began filling, he pulled out the last clean towels from the linen closet. He quickly arranged everything he would need and checked the temperature of the water, adjusting it as needed, before pulling out his phone. He was planning on surprising Rachel with a lunch date, a surprise that had been ruined when she found their reservations, but they were still planning to eat together. He didn't think he would be able to make it now.

He dialed the familiar number and got her voicemail. He wasn't surprised, he knew she was in meetings for her new show all day, and he quickly left a message. He checked the temperature once more before double checking he had everything he needed. "Hey Quinn," he said as he approached her again. She weakly lifted her head. "Everything's ready. I'm just gonna help you." Her head dropped again, which Finn took as permission. He gently undressed her, frowning at the heat he could feel coming off her, before lifting her up and taking her into the bathroom.

She gasped when he lowered her into the warm water, her eyes flying open as her body started shivering. "Wha?"

"Sshh," Finn told her, holding her securely until she calmed down slightly. "I got you. It's okay."

"Finn?" she asked uncertainly. "What's happening?"

"You've got a fever," he told her. "The bath is helping. Just relax." She nodded, relaxing into the tub. Once he was sure she was stable, he grabbed a washcloth and began running it over her upper body. She sighed as the sweat was washed away. "Just relax," Finn continually repeated, reassuring her. Eventually she stopped shivering, her body cooling down with the warm water as she slipped into a light doze. They stayed there until the water started turning cold.

"Quinn?" he asked quietly after he reached down to drain the tub. She didn't respond so he reached for the towel. "Oh shit," he exclaimed when he dropped the towel into the draining water. He looked around for the other towels he prepared, but he used those already and they were soaking wet. "I guess we'll just have to do this backwards," he told her. "I'll get you to your room then find a towel." He reached down, pulling her from the tub once the water drained. He held her closely, afraid she would slip from his grasp as he carried her to her bedroom. He was passing the kitchen when he heard the key in the front door. He froze, like a deer in headlights.

"Finn!" Rachel shrieked when she walked in on him.

"It's not what it looks like," he defended himself. He was wearing soaked clothes, holding a naked, wet Quinn in his arms bridal style. As if Quinn heard him, she started moaning, shifting around slightly. Finn tightened his grip so she didn't slide from his arms, but she was still wet and very slippery.

"Finn!" Rachel cried again, moving in to help steady the girl.

"Thanks," he said, adjusting his grip. "I dropped the towel in the bath and didn't have any others."

"Wait here," Rachel said, disappearing down the hall to the second linen closet. She returned with two towels. She quickly wrapped the blonde. "That's better," she said, leading them to Quinn's room.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you, but what are you doing here? I thought you had meetings all day."

"Production meetings that I didn't really need to be there for," Rachel commented. She grabbed another towel and started drying Quinn. "Then I got your message saying Quinn was sick."

"I didn't say that," Finn argued, passing Rachel a pair of Quinn's sweatpants and a tank. "I said I thought she was coming down with something." Rachel huffed.

"I knew something was wrong yesterday," she said as she dressed the blonde. "I could tell she was hiding something from me."

"I think she has the flu bug that's going around," Finn said. "But she didn't even tell me she was feeling sick. It wasn't until we got back that I realized how bad it was."

"How bad is it?" Rachel asked.

"She definitely is getting a fever," he told her. "I could feel it when I helped her with her bath."

"Have you given her anything?" Finn shook his head.

"I haven't had a chance yet," he admitted. Rachel rolled her eyes, heading to the bathroom. She came back a minute later.

"Quinn? I have something that will make you feel better." She tried to get Quinn to wake up, but it wasn't any use. "Help me prop her up." Finn nodded, leaning Quinn against his body while Rachel forced her to drink the medicine. Once she was done Rachel pulled out the thermometer.

"Hey Rach," Finn said after she shoved the stick under the blonde's tongue. "Can we talk?" Rachel looked up abruptly.

"We can always talk Finn," she said. "In fact, I prefer talking over letting problems stew. Assuming there are problems."

"No problems," he quickly assured her, before sighing. "You know I've been trying to figure out my life." Rachel nodded. "Well, I think I've figured it out."

"Really?" she asked, smiling big. "That's great. What did you decide."

"I want to be a physical therapist," he said excitedly.

"That's great Finn," she said uncertainly. "But isn't that a difficult field to get into? Not that I don't think you can do it," she quickly amended.

"It's okay. It is a tough field. But I've been helping Adam at Quinn's PT and he thinks I have what it takes. And he's talked to his old professors and they've come and watched me help. They told me I have a spot waiting in Cornell's PT program."

"You've already applied?" Rachel asked, her voice rising in annoyance. "When were you going to come talk to me? Or were you even going to talk to me?"

"I was," Finn said. "I am. I haven't applied anywhere. I've just been making inquiries." Rachel huffed, turning away and walking to the window. "I was going to tell you today, at lunch. And I wanted us to talk about it and figure it out together." Rachel turned, looking at her husband.

"Well, what did you find out?" she asked. He smiled.

"I have to get a bachelor's degree before I can go to Cornell. They said it could be anything, but they recommend something in the medical field, so I was thinking science."

"Science?" Rachel almost shouted.

"That would just be the classroom stuff," he explained. "If I get a bachelor's degree in science I can transfer to Cornell's PT program." Rachel was silent as she stared at her husband. "Please say something?"

"Why science?" she asked quietly. "And why physical therapy."

"I've been trying to find myself these last few months," he explained. She nodded. "And the times that I've been most happy is when I've been helping Quinn." He held up a hand to stop her from interrupting. "I'm not saying I'm not happy with you, but I really like helping people." He laid Quinn carefully on the bed before moving next to Rachel. He took her in his arms, holding her tightly. "I've gotten a newfound respect for medical professionals. But doctors and nurses keep you alive. Therapists help you live."

"You sound pretty sure of yourself," Rachel said, reaching up and kissing him. He smiled.

"I am. Adam had been letting me help out, you know. Not just with Quinn. He was letting me help with this young kid, maybe four or five. He was born with some sort of spinal condition where it didn't develop right or something. Anyway, he's never been able to walk before, but the other day he took his first steps. Me, Finn Hudson, Lima loser, helped change that little boy's life. It was amazing." Rachel smiled up at him.

"You are amazing," she said, kissing him deeply. "Okay. How do we go about doing this?"

"Really?" Finn asked. She nodded.

"You stood by me when I was going for my dream. I'm not about to stand in the way of yours."

"I love you so much," he told her, running his hands up and down her back, one of his hands slipping underneath her shirt. Her hands did the same as their tongues dueled for supremacy. They were lost in their little world until a beeping sounded. "Quinn," Finn murmured, breaking the kiss reluctantly.

"She's sleeping," Rachel replied distractedly, before remembering what was happening. "Quinn!" she gasped, pulling away rapidly. She ran over and grabbed the thermometer from the blonde, struggling to focus on the numbers. "She definitely has a fever."

"I'll make her some chicken soup," he said. "But I don't want to leave her alone if she's sick."

"I'm staying until she's feeling better," Rachel said. "It's just production meetings for the next week or so. I just wanted to be there to feel involved. Honestly, I think the director would prefer me to stay away right now. I think I may have made one to many suggestions." Finn smiled, knowing exactly how demanding Rachel could be on a stage.

"I'll run by the store to get stuff for the soup. Is there anything else we need?" Rachel shook her head.

"We need medicine," she said, quickly writing out a list for Finn. "And I need you to move Quinn to the couch. I hope you don't mind if Quinn and I cuddle all day long."

"Well, you weren't too upset that I had a naked Quinn in my arms," he said, gathering up the girl in question, "so I can't be too judgmental about a little cuddling." Rachel ran ahead, grabbing some blankets and preparing a little den on the couch. "I trust you." He said as he laid Quinn back down.

"I trust you too," she replied, handing him the list with a kiss. He scanned it, adding a thing or two, while Rachel prepared everything she could ever possibly need and put it within arm's length of the couch. "Finn?" she asked as he was about to leave. "When are you going to apply?" Finn sighed.

"That was the other thing I wanted to talk to you about," he admitted. "I was price checking the schools here. They're very expensive and we don't qualify for any in-state tuition bonus, not that that really makes much of a difference here."

"We can afford it," she insisted. "If it's what you really want, we can make it work."

"Thanks," he said, "but I was thinking of something else? But only if you're one hundred percent okay with it."

"What?" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Going back home," he answered quickly.

"Finn!" she protested. "I can't go back to Lima. My life is here. My career is here. I belong here."

"I know," Finn told her, "and I would never dream of making you leave New York. I was thinking of me." She stared at him blankly.

"You want a divorce?" she asked mutely. He shook his head, holding onto her hands tightly.

"No. Never. I want to stay with you until my dying breath." She calmed down slightly so he continued. "I can apply to Ohio State and go through their bachelor's program in three years, maybe four since I'm not that good of a student, then I can come back here to you. I won't need to worry about finding a place to stay, since I can stay with Mom and Burt, or even Puck, and the in-state tuition for Ohio State is a fraction of what it would be here. Plus, Puck said he could get me a job helping clean pools. And I know Burt always needs help down at his shop."

"I thought you hated being a mechanic," Rachel asked, smiling shyly. He grinned.

"I guess family makes all the difference." She grinned up at him. "Please say something."

"You've obviously thought a lot about this," she said. He nodded.

"I even made a list with Pro's and Con's," he said, pulling a folded piece of paper out of his pocket. Rachel smiled. The top of his 'Con' list was leaving Rachel, even for a little while.

"You really want this?" He nodded. "Then you should apply. You don't need to worry about getting a job though," she added. "I can support you."

"I know you can, but I really need to do this for myself," he told her.

"Is it a guy thing?" she asked. He nodded. "Fine. But promise me something. Promise me if it gets too much, you will accept my help. And we'll skype and text all the time. And visit, every chance we get. And when you graduate, I want the first kiss. And I want you to take me somewhere special. And I mean really special."

"I haven't even applied yet Rach," he complained, but he was grinning like an idiot. "Does this mean you'll wait for me?"

"If it's what you want, it's what I want."

"Thanks," he said, pulling her around and twirling her. "Don't tell the others yet," he asked her. "Let's wait until it's official." Rachel nodded. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"It will be tough, but I can do it if you can." They smiled again, kissing briefly before Rachel pulled away. "Now go get me some orange juice. And make sure it's organic." Finn nodded, grabbing the list and heading out, leaving Rachel waiting in the living room.

"Looks like it's just us now," she told the sleeping blonde. "Looks like it might be just us for a while." She broke down on that last word and started sobbing. She curled in on herself, sinking down on the couch.

"Rach," she heard the weak voice and stopped crying.

"Quinn?" She gathered the sick girl in her arms. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"It hurts," she complained, reaching out a hand for Rachel. Rachel guided the hand to her face.

"Why didn't you tell anyone you weren't feeling well?" she asked.

"Don't want to go to the hospital," Quinn said weakly. Rachel sighed.

"The hospital isn't always our first choice you know," she told her. Quinn shook her head.

"Don't want to go," she said again.

"I don't want to make you go," Rachel told her, "but you have to do everything that I say. And if you get worse we might have no choice."

"Kay," Quinn said, her eyes fluttering closed.

"Not yet," Rachel demanded. "You need to drink some water. And I have some medicine for you." She helped Quinn sit up, leaning her against her own body as she carefully held the water glass. Quinn took a few sips, but Rachel bullied her into finishing the entire glass. Once she was done she got ready to lie Quinn back down, but she weakly pushed her hand away.

"Can I stay up a bit?"

"Sure," Rachel said. Quinn snuggled closer to her. "Do you need anything?" Quinn shook her head. "I can read to you. Or we can listen to a book."

"Can we just be here?" she asked. Rachel nodded. She grabbed the TV remote and flipped it to a random station, the volume low so it didn't disturb the girl sleeping on her side. Finally, she heard the front door open.


	32. Chapter 32

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Finn?" she hissed quietly. "Where have you been? It's been over an hour." She stopped short when it wasn't Finn who entered. "Judy?"

"Hi Rachel," Judy greeted quietly. She took one look at the scene, smiling brightly.

"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked, trying to untangle herself from the blonde, but the blankets they were wrapped up in were strangling her. Judy rushed over, stopping the brunette from squirming and waking up her daughter.

"I got a call from Quinn in the middle of the night," Judy explained. "She said everything was okay, but something didn't sit right, so I rushed over."

"You could have called," Rachel said gloomily, "not that I would trust us anymore seeing as how we let your daughter get sick as soon as you left."

"But you're taking care of her," Judy told her gently, brushing a stray lock of hair from Quinn's face. She frowned when she felt the heat. She glanced to the side, seeing everything laid out that Quinn could possibly need.

"We think she has the flu," Rachel said. "We think she's been feeling bad for a couple of days but hiding it. Apparently, we're not good friends since we didn't notice until she nearly collapsed."

"Quinn has always put on a brave face when she isn't feeling good," Judy told her. "It's how she was raised. And I'm sure Russel never did anything to change that while she was with him."

"She was terrified we would take her to the hospital," Rachel admitted. Judy laughed.

"She really doesn't like that place." Rachel smiled, laughing a little.

"No, she does not." Judy watched them for a few more minutes.

"Well, it looks like you have everything under control here. I'll just go see Shelby."

"You're not going to stay?" Rachel asked. "Your room is still ready."

"I'll be back for dinner," she told her. "What are you having?"

"Um," Rachel looked flabbergasted. "Chicken noodle soup?" Judy laughed.

"I'll pick up something for everyone who is not sick," she said as she gathered up her purse. "Around five?"

"That sounds good," Rachel said, just as Quinn groaned and woke up. "Hey. How are feeling?"

"Hurts," she croaked. "Thirsty."

"Here," Rachel reached for the water, helping Quinn take a few sips. "I have some more medicine for you. It will make you feel better." She poured some syrup into the measuring cup. Quinn took a sip, then grimaced and turned away.

"No," she said, weakly pushing Rachel's hand away.

"Quinn Fabray!" Rachel said, forcing the medicine back toward the sick girl. "You will take your medicine or I will call Santana and tell her you're sick."

"God no," Quinn said, taking another sip and making a disgusted face. "Don't tell her. She'll get all crazy."

"Then take your medicine," Rachel said, coaxing another sip down the blonde's throat. "You're almost done." Quinn nodded exhausted by that short exchange. She was too tired to even protest the medicine now. Instead, she finished her dose and laid down, her head in the Diva's lap. "That's good. I know it doesn't taste good, but it will help. And you can have some orange juice to help wash away the taste in a bit." She looked down, but Quinn was asleep again. Rachel looked up to judge Judy's reaction, but the elder Fabray was already gone. Rachel sighed, running her fingers through Quinn's hair as she picked up the remote and channel surfed until Finn returned home.

"Okay, I got everything for soup," he said, putting the groceries on the counter. "And here's everything on your list." He unpacked a bag, setting everything on the side table where Rachel could reach. "I even got extra tissues in case anyone else gets sick."

"That's very sweet Finn," Rachel said kindly. "And what's for dinner?" He looked mystified.

"Soup?" he said awkwardly. "But it will be kick ass, homemade soup." Rachel smiled up at him.

"Judy said she would pick something up," she told him. He frowned.

"From Ohio? That's a long way to go to deliver dinner."

"She isn't in Ohio," Rachel told him. "Quinn called her and she came running, just like she said she would."

"Oh," he said, at a loss for words. "At least we know she will come now." Rachel nodded. They weren't proud to admit it, but they were wondering if Judy would keep up her mothering skills once she left. It was nice to know that they didn't need to worry about that.

"She'll be back at five," Rachel told him as he moved to unload the rest of the groceries.

"Oh good," he said as he shuffled everything around the kitchen. "That will give me time to make the soup. Oh, don't be surprised if Kurt and Blaine stop by. I called him for the recipe and of course he wanted to know why I wanted to make chicken soup and I let it slip that Quinn was sick and you know how they get." Rachel nodded.

"As bad as Santana but without the anger," she replied. As if on cue the door burst open and the Latina was storming into the apartment, Kurt and Blaine hot on her heels.

"What the hell midget?" she shrieked, not slowing down until she could check on Quinn herself. "Why did you let Quinn get sick?"

"We didn't let Quinn get sick," Rachel protested, but Santana wasn't listening. She was busy straightening the blanket Quinn had just tried to throw off herself.

"It's a losing battle," Kurt said, as he pushed Finn out of the kitchen, examining the groceries quickly. "At least you got everything I told you."

"What are you even doing here Santana?" Rachel asked. "I thought you were in California for a couple more weeks."

"The tour finished the California part," Santana shrugged, checking Quinn's temperature with her hand. "They went to Vegas, which was amazing, but then they started cross country again. I have no desire to see the great plains. And New Orleans? Unless it's Marci Gras and the party is on, they can have that humidity shit."

"But what about Mercedes?" the Diva asked. "I thought you were staying with her until the tour was over?" Santana grinned.

"She's going on tour," she announced. Rachel squealed. "It's still in the planning stages so don't get all crazy yet, but she's so busy and I was just a distraction. Besides, I met with her manager. We had a couple of jam sessions, and he was so amazed by my talent he wanted to sign me. When I told him I was a New York girl, he was over the moon. He knows somebody here who was looking for a new sound and he hooked me up. I meet up with him in a few days."

"That's great," Blaine said, coming over to give her a congratulatory hug.

"Oh, that reminds me," Santana said, sitting down on the other side of Quinn. "I stopped by to share the news with my family and Mr. Schue. He and Miss Pillsbury are ready to try again. They just need to set the date, but they don't want to until they know our schedules. They don't want to set a date that would conflict with us."

"Date for what?" Quinn asked sleepily. Santana looked down, smiling softly.

"Hey Q," she greeted. "How you feeling?"

"Better," the blonde admitted, but she didn't try and move from her position on Rachel's lap. "The medicine really helped."

"And now that Finn's back we have plenty more," Rachel told her, "so there's no excuse not to take it."

"And there's no reason for you to hide this shit from us," Santana said, getting angry again. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I didn't want to be back in the hospital," Quinn said softly, looking down the way she did when she's embarrassed. Everyone sighed.

"Look Q. You've really got to get over this hospital thing. There's this thing called medicine and bedrest and us waiting on you hand and foot. That's always the first thing we will try. We only do the hospital when you get really sick or it's obviously not something we can fix."

"Like my arm?" she asked.

"Right," Santana said. "But if you don't tell us when you're sick, we won't know to give you medicine and by the time we find out it might be too bad for us to help. Do you understand?" Quinn nodded.

"I'll try," she said. The Latina nodded and hugged her tightly. "Now what is the date for?" She had heard a lot about Mr. Schue even though she hadn't met him yet.

"For their wedding," Kurt answered from the kitchen. "I've just forwarded them my schedule for the next six months."

"But aren't they already married?" Quinn asked, confused.

"They are," Rachel said as she forwarded her own schedule. Everybody was doing the same. "But Miss Pillsbury wants the fairy tale wedding."

"Only she's a bit different," Finn took over. "She keeps planning this big wedding, but then she gets freaked out and cancels every time."

"She keeps getting closer though," Blaine added. "The last time she almost made it to the ceremony before she ran."

"Then how are they married?" Quinn asked.

"It's the pressure she can't handle," Rachel told her. "The marriage thing is fine, so after the first try they just decided to do it without anyone knowing. Half the group was still in glee club, so we all went down to cheer them on for their Sectionals. They won, of course, and as we were congratulating them in the choir room a priest showed up. They said we were the only people who really mattered to them so they got married right then and there."

"She's still trying for that big wedding though," Kurt added as he brought in a tiny bowl filled with broth for Quinn. "Every year or so. I think it's cute." He handed the bowl and a spoon to Santana. "Finn says you haven't had anything all day. Start with this. If you can keep it down I'll upgrade it to soup later." Quinn nodded, letting Rachel and Blaine pull her upright. She paled, closing her eyes tightly against the dizziness that came with rising.

"Quinn?" Blaine asked, keeping a steadying hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine," she replied automatically, happy when the dizziness stopped a few seconds later. "I'm fine," she said again, this time sounding stronger. She opened her eyes, hoping to reassure them.

"Okay chica," Santana said, sliding closer to her friend. "I'll take your word this time. Now eat up." She held the bowl carefully, but it was soon apparent Quinn didn't have the energy to hold the spoon. "When was the last time you ate?" she demanded as she fed the blonde.

"Umm," Quinn thought as she tried to remember. Santana rolled her eyes.

"Then it has been way to long." The others nodded as they watched Quinn eat. She was doing good until about halfway through, when she started getting tired. Santana forced her to take a few more sips until Quinn was literally falling asleep on the Latina. "I guess that's good for now." They laid the blonde down again, Santana pushing Rachel away to be used as the human pillow herself.

"I had everything under control," Rachel murmured, even as she began folding up the blanket she had been using. Kurt returned briefly for the bowl before retreating to the kitchen.

"Sure you did," Santana said sarcastically as she tried to stop Quinn from pushing off her own blanket. Quinn frowned, trying again to get rid of the restricting covering. Santana sighed, reaching over to pull the blanket down to Quinn's waist, knowing the blonde would get cold again in a few minutes and want it again. Sure enough, ten minutes later she started shivering. Santana quickly pulled the blanket back up, tucking her in tightly.

The group stayed like that all afternoon. Somebody had popped in a movie and the only time their attention wavered was when Quinn would briefly wake up. She would barely have enough energy to drink some water before she was out again, but one time they were able to get some more medicine down her throat. By the time Judy returned with their dinner they were going out of their mind with boredom, but not willing to leave either.

"Hey guys," Judy greeted quietly as she entered the apartment. She stopped short at seeing everybody there since she was only expecting Rachel and Finn. "Santana. When did you get back?" she asked, placing the brown bags on the table.

"This morning," she said distractedly, trying to comfort Quinn. She was starting to shiver, despite the heavy blanket on her. Rachel was immediately on her feet, reaching for the blanket she just folded and laying it over the blonde. In minutes her shivering had stopped. "I was with my gays. Brittany's coming home next week and I want to do something special for her, but I'm horrible with ideas. Blaine was helping me come up with ideas when Finn called. We heard Quinn was sick and we came running. Where I have now spent the afternoon getting sweated and drooled on. At least I hope that's drool." Santana said the words spitefully, but she couldn't stop the smile that graced her face at the thought of helping the blonde woman when she needed it.

"That's very sweet of you," Judy told her, "but I don't know if we'll have enough food to go around." She pulled out a large container of pasta from the bag, with smaller containers of sauce. Kurt came over and examined the dinner.

"I can work with that," he told them. "It will be easy enough to supplement the pasta with some meat," he said, thinking aloud. "Some chicken or maybe some pork. It'll be unconventional, but I remember seeing some broccoli I can steam. A tossed salad is simple enough to add, and of course we will have plenty of soup. The only thing missing is bread." He spoke just as Judy pulled two loafs from the bag. "I could kiss you," he told her, grabbing the foil wrapped loaf and rushing back into the kitchen.

"Shelby and Beth are coming too," she called after him.

"It should stretch," he told her as he began pulling out everything he would need, checking on the soup that was simmering away every few minutes.

"They said they would bring some ice cream for dessert. Something to help soothe Quinn's throat when it gets sore." He nodded absently as he started searing some pork strips. Judy watched him amusedly as he lost himself in cooking before turning to the group in the living room. Quinn was starting to struggle against the blankets, a frown on her face. Blaine was immediately there, removing the top one while Santana and Rachel tucked the bottom one more securely around Quinn. Quinn fought them for a minute before settling down again. They all stayed where they were, watching the sick woman until someone knocked on the door.

"Shelby," Finn said as he left to answer the door. A few minutes later Beth came running in.

"Is she okay?" She stopped just shy of the couch, watching Quinn intently.

"She's fine," Blaine answered, pulling her gently toward him. She let him pull her up, settling her on his knee as they both watched. "She's just sick. You remember how lousy you feel when you get sick?" Beth nodded silently. "Well she feels just as lousy. Only she has never felt this way before and doesn't know that it will get better."

"She's never been sick before?" Beth asked. Blaine smiled down at her.

"Not that she can remember." Beth nodded. "So, we just have to help her until she feels better." Beth nodded resolutely.

"I can read to her," Beth offered.

"I'm sure she'd love that," Rachel told her, "but right now she really needs to sleep. Maybe in a few days." Beth nodded again.

"Has anyone taken her to the hospital?" Shelby asked, moving in from the kitchen. Everyone turned to glare at her. She smiled at her own blunder. "Right. Forgot who I was talking about for a minute."

"The cold medicine is working for now," Rachel said. "Her fever has already gone down a bit, though I suspect it will rise again before the situation has resolved itself. Thanks to Finn's grocery run, I am prepared with sufficient cold medicine and herbal remedies."

"And I am prepared to knock you on your ass when you try to force Quinn to drink some vegan, herbal, miracle tonic instead of real medicine." The two started bickering back and forth, not noticing when Shelby walked up next to Judy.

"I see what you mean."

"What!" Rachel and Santana yelled at the same time.

"I'm not really needed here," Judy explained. "Which is why I'm going back home tomorrow morning. I should have called before I came rushing out. I just panicked when she called."

"But she got sick," Rachel protested.

"People get sick," Judy told her. "I should have trusted that you guys had everything under control, because you do. I should have trusted that you would have called me if anything was really wrong. And I should have called you before I came running."


	33. Chapter 33

Warnings and disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"I hate to break up this touching moment," Kurt said, joining them, "but dinner is ready." They nodded. Rachel knelt next to Quinn, gently shaking her on the shoulder.

"Quinn?" The blonde frowned.

"Hot," she whispered, trying to push the blanket off again.

"I know," Rachel said soothingly. "I have something that will make you feel better."

"What?" Quinn asked desperately, opening her eyes.

"Dinner," Rachel told her quietly. Quinn groaned, paling at the thought of food. "Kurt made soup. It will help. Please try." Quinn nodded, pushing back the blanket much more effectively than before.

"I need to," she started, her face flushing from more than the fever.

"I can help if it's okay," Rachel offered. Quinn nodded. Finn moved toward the wheelchair, but before he could get it Rachel lifted Quinn into her arms and headed toward the bathroom.

"Whoa," Santana said, getting up gingerly and stretching her legs. "When did the dwarf get some muscles?"

"I don't know," Finn said, grinning goofily as he watched his wife disappear. He didn't stop grinning until Santana smacked him in the arm. "Hey! What was that for?" She shrugged.

"It felt like the thing to do," she said as she moved past into the kitchen. He sighed, leaving the wheelchair where Rachel would have easy access when she came back with Quinn. He heard the shower and knew Rachel was helping her clean up a bit.

"I think we can start without them," he said as he joined the group in the kitchen. "I think Quinn is freshening up." They nodded, knowing it could be a while if they waited for Quinn and Rachel. They dished themselves up plates and headed into the dining room.

"This is a remarkable spread for what you had to work with Kurt," Judy said as dished up her plate. "Maybe the fashion industry is the wrong choice for you. Have you ever considered being a chef?"

"Already considered and dismissed," Kurt told her. "I realized early on that I loved cooking, but I'm happy cooking for my friends and family. Besides, have you seen what professional chefs wear? All that white would clash with my complexion." They all laughed and began eating earnestly, except for Finn who pushed the food around on his plate. "Is something wrong Finn? Tell me you're not getting sick too."

"No, nothing like that," he said, putting down his fork. "I just have something I need to tell you, and since everyone is here right now…" He trailed off when Santana shot him a deadly glare. "Except for Brittany," he quickly amended. Santana nodded approvingly. "Anyway. You all know I've been trying to figure out what to do with my life." They all nodded. "Well. I think I've finally figured out what I want to do when I grow up."

"What?" Kurt asked, more excited than any of them. Finn took a deep breath.

"I want to be a physical therapist." He was quiet as they all took in the news.

"That's a very noble career," Shelby said softly. The others just stared at him in shock.

"You know that's a very difficult career path," Blaine said cautiously. "It's very difficult to get into. And I don't remember you as a very studious guy."

"You hated school," Kurt reminded him. "The only reason you went was for glee and football and your favorite subject was lunch. You do realize physical therapy is a medical profession. That means lots of schooling. Serious schooling."

"I know it won't be easy," he relented, "but I want to try. I've talked to Adam and he's helped me figure it out." He took a deep breath. "I'm going to apply for Ohio State and get an associate degree in science. That's like the book learning degree and not the hospital intern degree. Then, I can come back to Cornell and get into the physical therapy program."

"You're going back to Ohio?" Santana asked quietly. He nodded.

"If I go back, I can go to school at a fraction of the cost," he explained. She scowled at him.

"Have you even talked to Rachel about this or are you just going to spring it on her?"

"Of course, he's talked to me," Rachel said, coming up behind them. Everyone was so focused on him they didn't even hear her pushing the wheelchair. "We have discussed this at length, and more than likely, will continue the discussion as time permits. And, while I will miss him terribly, I will always support his dreams like he always supported mine."

"So, will I," Kurt said, breaking the silence that engulfed the group. "How can I help?" Finn smiled at his brother.

"I spoke with the admissions department while I was going to the store. Since I'm not a typical student anymore, they suggested I write an essay on what I hope to achieve at Ohio State and get as many recommendation letters as I can. Adam said he's gonna write an awesome one for me, but if you guys could too I would really appreciate it."

"Of course, Finn," Blaine smiled brightly. "When do you need them by?"

"The deadline for submissions is in three weeks," he told them. Blaine and Kurt shared a look.

"We'll have something by then," Kurt said, reaching over and hugging Finn. "Have you told Carol and dad yet? They'll be so excited to have you home. Or are you going to stay in a dorm? Oh, my God. You have to let me decorate it."

"Slow down," Finn smiled at him. "I haven't even been accepted yet. One thing at a time." But Kurt was already lost in his own little world again, despite how much Finn tried to reel him in. Santana turned to Rachel. She was getting Quinn situated.

"Are you really okay with this?" she asked. Rachel fussed with the blanket covering the sick girl, choosing not to answer right away. Santana sighed. She grabbed a bowl and filled it with broth, putting in a few chicken chunks and a couple vegetables. She didn't think Quinn would be able to handle anything else. She handed the bowl to the Diva. "Rachel?"

"What do you want me to say?" she asked quietly, trying not to ruin the excited mood Finn was basking in.

"How about what you're feeling," Santana said simply. "Really feeling. Not what you think I want to hear."

"I'll miss him so much," she said, barely holding back the tears. "I thought about begging him to stay, or even going back to Ohio with him. There's several fairly decent theaters in Columbus or Cincinnati that I could work at. They're not Broadway, but I would still be performing."

"So why don't you?"

"Because he won't let me give up my dream to follow him." Santana smiled softly.

"He really did turn into a good man," she said approvingly. Rachel nodded, nearly breaking down again. "Hey. None of that. It's only a few years. He'll be back before you know it." Rachel nodded. "Tell you what. When he gets back, we'll all spring in and get you a night at a skanky hotel where you can be as loud and crazy as you want." Rachel smiled at that. "Now what say we take care of the rolling germ factory before she gets us all sick."

"Right," Rachel said, brushing her tears away. "Quinn? It's dinner time. Can you wake up?" Quinn blearily opened her eyes. "Are you hungry?"

"No," she croaked. "Tired."

"Well, have some soup and then you can go to bed." Quinn nodded drunkenly. She took a small sip by herself before trying to put it back.

"Nope Q," Santana said, pushing the bowl back into the blonde's hands. "You are not done yet. So either you keep eating or I feed you. Your choice." Quinn threw a glare at her, but took another sip. "Yep. There we go."

"I hate you," Quinn murmured weakly as she took sip after sip. She nearly finished the bowl when she finally put it down. "I can't take anymore. I feel sick."

"That's okay," Rachel told her, putting the bowl back on the table. "You did very well. Are you ready for bed?" Quinn nodded pathetically. "You've already had your nighttime pills and your last dose of medicine. You've had your shower and are clean and in your jammies. Is there anything else you need?"

"Read to me?" she asked quietly.

"Of course," Rachel nodded, pushing her away from the table and into her bedroom. She helped Quinn into the bed before quickly changing and climbing in after her. She grabbed a book from the nightstand and soon Quinn was cuddled up against her, desperately trying to stay awake. It was a fruitless endeavor though, as she fell asleep almost as soon as Rachel started reading. Rachel held her for a few hours before she too fell into dreamland.

* * *

The next few days were horrible for Quinn. She would feel better one second only to feel worse the next. Her fever kept coming and going. She was constantly tired and achy. The worst part was a couple days later when she spent the whole day throwing up. The only good thing was the constant presence of Finn and Rachel.

She had expected this from Finn. He had taken over as her primary caretaker, but Rachel surprised her. She had stayed home with her nearly the entire time, only going in for meetings when it was absolutely critical. And as much as she loved Finn, she couldn't deny that Rachel made her feel special in a way she wasn't quite sure she understood.

"Hey Quinn." Quinn looked up at the voice, automatically trying to find the Diva. Everybody told her she would feel better eventually, but it wasn't until the next week that she actually did. She was still tired and achy, but she didn't feel like death was better. She told them she could go to her appointments, but they insisted she take the week off and stay home. She spent the week in bed or on the couch, listening to books, and being waited on hand and foot. At first she was unsure how to react to the kind of attention she was receiving, but eventually she basked in it.

"Rachel," Quinn greeted her lazily. "How was your meeting? I thought you'd be gone all day."

"It was fine," Rachel told her. "I was planning on spending all day at the theater, to make up for the time I've spent here, but then I realized someone made me sick." Quinn immediately looked down in horror.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, deathly afraid that Rachel would hate her now. Instead Rachel laughed.

"It's okay. I'm sure you didn't mean to make me sick. I'm sure you were directing your cooties toward Santana and I got them by mistake." Quinn looked up at the words.

"Can you make someone sick on purpose?" She asked innocently, causing Rachel to laugh again. "If I did, I didn't mean too. I would never make you sick on purpose."

"I know," the Diva reassured her, "at it's okay. I'm taking medicine now, at the beginning, instead of letting it build to a nasty stage like you did." Rachel shuffled over to the side table. Quinn could hear her struggling with the cap on the medicine. Then she could smell the nasty stuff when she finally got it open. Rachel measured out a dose and then swallowed it without complaint, something Quinn still couldn't do. After washing the measuring cup thoroughly, Rachel rejoined Quinn in the living room. "Scoot over. I wanna lay down."

"Sure," Quinn said, wanting to help Rachel but having no idea how. "Can I get you anything?" she asked, just because they were constantly asking her that. The Diva was quiet for a minute before turning to the blonde.

"Can we read together?" she asked. Quinn nodded, handing her the remote for the stereo where one of her books was playing, but Rachel shook her head. "I mean like really read together."

"Um," Quinn said unnervingly, "I can read to you if you want, but I'm not that good at reading out loud."

"I don't want you to read to me," Rachel countered. "I want you to read with me." Quinn looked confused so Rachel took charge. She went over to Quinn's section of the bookcase. Since Quinn came to live with them they had amassed quite a large collection of braille books and books on tape, but they each knew what those were. There was still one book they didn't know though, and that was the book Rachel grabbed. "I think this one."

"Rachel," Quinn whined when Rachel handed her the book. "I'm not going to tell you which one it is." They were constantly trying to get her to tell them what the mystery book was, but she was being stubborn.

"You're not going to tell me," Rachel said, plopping down besides the blonde. "I'm going to read it for myself." Quinn wondered what exactly she was talking about when Rachel reached for the book. She felt Rachel rub her fingers gently over the cover.

"Rachel?" Quinn asked. Only Brittany had ever felt the words in her books. She liked to run her fingers over the Braille, smiling at the tickling sensation it gave her. But nobody else had ever tried it. She got the feeling the dots and bumps made them uncomfortable. A feeling they vehemently denied when she asked. "Rachel?" she asked again.

"Shush," Rachel admonished. "This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I need to concentrate." Quinn immediately quieted down while Rachel ran her fingers back and forth against the bumps. Finally, her fingers stilled and she let out a gasp. "Quinn Fabray! Why in the world would you ever choose to read this book."

"I heard everyone was reading it," she said simply before realizing something. "You read the title. How did you read it?" Rachel smirked.

"You're not the only one Nathan can tutor," she said smugly. "I can guess what Russel said when you asked him for this."

"He never knew," Quinn said quickly. "When I asked Nathan about this, he said he'd help but daddy would never agree if he knew. So, he told daddy it was a different book. One I needed for the English part of my tutoring. I can't remember what book he said it was, but daddy never questioned him. He even made sure to not get the title on the cover so daddy would never find out."

"I'm liking him more and more," Rachel admitted. "I'm glad he was there for you when we weren't. But I wish even more that we were."

"I know," Quinn said, and she did know deep down that she would never be alone again. "Did you really learn how to read Braille?"

"Of course. There's no rule that says you have to be blind to read Braille. But I'm not that good yet. Could you help me?"

"Yes, of course," Quinn said excitedly. She had never had anything she could offer to the group, and had always felt bad about it. "How can I help?"

"Can you find the first chapter?" Rachel asked. Quinn nodded, leafing through the book. She found the chapter easily, pointing it out to Rachel.

"Here," she said eagerly, holding the book still as Rachel's fingers ghosted over the page. She guided her fingers to the starting spot. Rachel's fingers started trailing over the page. Reading with Rachel wasn't anything like she thought it would be. Rachel was slow, often needing to reread entire sentences before they made sense to her. She would sometimes miss her spot when she had to move to the next line and she was hopeless when she had to actually turn the page, but Quinn had never felt happier in her entire life. Even the cold which she still had finally seemed to leave her.


	34. Chapter 34

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"So it's finally ready," Finn said as he entered the living room, studying the packet in his hands before looking up. "Oh. Sorry."

"It's okay," Rachel told him. "We were just reading." She took the book and carefully marked their place. "What's finally ready?"

"My application," he said, flipping the package in his hands. "It just needs to be mailed." Rachel smiled at him. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"I'm not gonna lie and say I'm happy," Rachel told him, "or that this is going to be easy. But if it's what you want then it's what I want."

"I haven't even gotten in yet," he said. He sighed. "I probably won't even make it. I shouldn't even bother sending it in."

"Don't say that," Rachel told him, rising from the couch and coming over to give him a hug. "And even if you don't get in, we will figure out a way for you to make your dreams come true. You wouldn't let me give up on my dreams, even after I blew my NYADA audition. I won't let you give up on yours before you even try." He smiled at her.

"Thank you," he said, pulling her into a kiss. She broke away quickly.

"I don't want to get you sick too," she said, smiling shyly. "Besides, I can think of other ways you can show your appreciation after you mail that packet. And then I can show my support." Finn's smile grew bigger.

"Do you ladies need anything?" he asked as she made her way back to the couch. Rachel shook her head, before she looked up.

"Oh my God. Brittany. I totally forgot she was coming back tonight. And Santana is busy with her manager."

"I know," he assured her. "I already told Santana I would pick up Brittany if she wasn't finished yet. That means I will be back late though." Rachel nodded as she climbed under the blanket again.

"Maybe you can bring back dinner?" Finn nodded. He watched as they started reading again before grabbing the package and heading for the door. Hours later he came back, Brittany and Santana right on his heels.

"What the Hell shrimp?" Santana shrieked. "Are you trying to get sick?"

"I already am," she said, her fingers never leaving the book. "Besides, I think Quinn is on the mend. I doubt she is contagious anymore."

"So I can give you a hug?" Brittany asked, running towards the couch before anyone could answer and flinging her arms around both of them. "The tour was amazing. I had so much fun, especially when Santana came to visit and did that one thing with her mouth." Quinn's eyes got wide, but everyone else were used to uncomfortable tidbits about their sex life escaping from Brittany.

"Brit," Santana said, giving a pointed look toward Quinn. "Maybe they can hear all about your trip tomorrow. After everyone's had a good night's sleep."

"Okay," Brittany said excitedly, before she noticed the book. "Are you reading? Or are you letting the bumps tickle your fingers."

"I'm reading," Rachel said. Santana smirked.

"So now you can tell us what the mystery book is?" she asked. Rachel shook her head.

"I'm sorry Santana. If you want to know what the book is, you're going to have to learn how to read Braille."

"Oh!" Brittany excitedly jumped up and down. "Can we San? Please?"

"Sure." The Latina looked uncomfortable. She desperately hoped the blonde would forget about this venture. Instead she turned to Finn. "So, did you mail your application yet?" He nodded.

"Right before I picked up Brit," he told them.

"Application?" Brittany asked, turning her attention to the man. "What else have I missed?"

"Well," he began recounting everything that happened while Rachel and Santana pulled out the food they picked up on their way home.

"Can I have some real food tonight?" Quinn asked as she pushed herself to the table.

"You sure?" Finn asked. She hadn't thrown up since that time a few days ago, but her stomach churned whenever she ate anything other than soup. She looked up uncertainly.

"Maybe not," she reluctantly finished.

"Maybe a bite?" Rachel offered. "Then if your stomach doesn't rebel, maybe you can have more." Quinn nodded eagerly. She took five bites before her stomach started protesting and she returned to her soup. "That was good," Rachel said supportively. "Maybe you'll be able to move beyond soup soon."

Quinn smiled as they fell into the dinner chatter she had come to expect. The next few weeks went by so quickly Quinn didn't know where the time went. She had finally gotten rid of her cold. Finn made her spend an extra couple of days resting before he would let her get back to her regular schedule. She was so bored she vowed never to get sick again, although she knew that wasn't something she could really control. Three weeks later, Finn got a letter from Ohio State University. He opened it with shaking hands, surrounded by the four women who meant more to him than the entire world.

"I got in," he said shakily, rereading the letter in case his eyes deceived him. "I got in!" he shouted. He felt invincible as he found himself in the middle of a giant group hug. "I got in."

* * *

The next few weeks were very strange as Finn prepared to leave. He was so excited it was hard to be sad, but every so often Quinn would remember that Finn was going to be gone. She wasn't the only one. Rachel was in tears whenever Finn was gone and Santana was actually being nice to the man. Even Tobey seemed to realize he was leaving. He spent as much time with Finn as he did with Quinn.

Despite how much Finn found he had to do, he never forgot Quinn's therapy sessions. They threw him a farewell party at her last PT session. It was so unexpected he nearly cried. "Finn?" she braved after they were in the car.

"Yeah?" he asked. He managed to keep the tears at bay, but he couldn't do anything about the tremble in his voice. A tremble she easily picked up on.

"Are you leaving because of me?" she asked him. "Because I'm not trying hard enough."

"I'm not leaving because of you," he reassured her.

"Are you sure?" she asked, "cause you seem really sad right now. I know you were about to cry with Adam."

"Not all tears are sad," he told her, focusing on the road. She sighed, settling back into the seat when he unexpectedly started talking. "I'm sad that I'll be leaving everyone, but I'm excited too. I'm excited to see if I can do this. I'm excited to start the next chapter of my life."

"Will we ever see you again?"

"Are you kidding? I'll see you all the time. You're still living with Rachel and she's still my wife." He grinned at her. "Besides, you're coming down in a few weeks for the wedding. Remember?"

"Oh yeah," Quinn grinned, remembering the excited squeals the girls gave when the official invitations arrived.

"Besides, we have a party of our own to get to. And we have a surprise for everyone, remember?" Quinn nodded, her spirits lifted when she thought about the party the girls were preparing back at the apartment.

"They're going to be really surprised," Quinn said happily.

"They're going to be really proud," Finn countered. Quinn beamed as he focused on the road again. Once they pulled into the parking space, Quinn couldn't contain her excitement as she transferred into her wheelchair. "Hey guys," Finn greeted as they entered the apartment. Rachel kissed him deeply.

"Save that shit for tonight," Santana grumbled. "I didn't cook all this shit for it to get cold so you could get your smack on."

"You cooked?" Finn asked, pulling away from Rachel momentarily. "For me?"

"No, for Santa Clause," Santana snarked. Brittany giggled.

"Of course it's not for Santa Clause," she said, "he doesn't come until Christmas. Everybody knows that. And he brings us presents and surprises."

"Speaking of surprises," Finn said. "Quinn has one for everybody."

"Really?" Rachel asked, finally letting go of Finn. Quinn nodded shyly, looking down.

"You ready?" Finn asked, kneeling down next to Quinn. She shook her head. "Maybe after dinner."

"Which is ready," Santana said, "as soon as Shelby gets here." There suddenly was a knock on the door. "And here she is. Let's eat." Finn opened the door for Shelby and Beth. Beth immediately ran up to the young man.

"Can you and me take Tobey and Mack to the dog park one more time?" she begged, holding her puppy in front of her. "He already misses you."

"He does huh?" he asked knowingly. "I already miss him too." He knelt down so he could look the girl in the eye. "I'll tell you what. It's too late for the dog park, but maybe we can get in one last walk before I go?"

"Really?" Beth's eyes lit up in anticipation as she turned to her mother. "Can we? Please, please, please."

"Just a short one," Shelby acquiesced. "It's starting to get dark."

"We'll be back soon," Finn promised as he grabbed Tobey's leash. Beth double checked that Mack's lease was still secure then waited for them at the door. "Anybody else?"

"Hell yeah," Santana said. "Somebody has got to keep the two of you in line."

"I would go," Brittany added as Santana grabbed her jacket, "but Lord Tubbington refuses to go on walks anymore since he was roughed up by that crazy pigeon."

"Right," Shelby said, used to the strange things Brittany would say. The three people and two dogs left the apartment, chatting happily. She turned towards Rachel. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," she replied automatically. Shelby frowned.

"The truth," she said softly. Rachel's smile fell.

"I miss him so much already," she admitted, brushing away her tears, "but I'm so proud of him at the same time."

"I know sweetie," Shelby said, pulling her into a crushing hug. She held her tight when Rachel finally broke down, letting her get all the feelings she had been bottling up out. When Rachel finally pulled away she was much calmer. "I know I chose the coward's way out before, but I am here for you now. If you ever need me."

"Thanks." She smiled weakly, which quickly turned to panic when she caught sight of her reflection. "Oh my God. I look horrible. I'm just going to freshen up." She dashed out of the room just as the others got back.

"Where's Rachel?" Finn asked, frowning slightly.

"Freshening up," Shelby told him before turning to her daughter. "Did you have fun?" Beth nodded as she told her mother all about their walk. Rachel joined them a moment later and they started their dinner party. As the evening wore on everyone was getting happier and happier until Finn decided it was time.

"Hey everyone," he said. All the talking immediately stopped as everyone turned to look at him. "I know this party is for me, and it is awesome, but Quinn and I have something we want to give to you."

"Now?" Quinn asked shakily, suddenly terrified. "What if I can't do it?"

"No one will judge you here," he said, kneeling next to her wheelchair. "If you can't do it then it's okay. You'll try again later. But I know you can. Will you try please? For me?" He reached out and grabbed her hand, squeezing in encouragement. Quinn closed her eyes and nodded. She released his hand and grabbed the armrests of the wheelchair tightly. She could feel everyone staring at her, but this didn't make her uncomfortable like it usually did when strangers stared at her. She felt loved by this group and it only made her want to do this more. For them.

"What?" Santana started, but was immediately quieted by Finn.

"You can do it," Finn encouraged. Quinn nodded, concentrating hard as she slowly lifted her right foot off the footrest and moved it forward. Once it was clear of the footrest she let it drop. She really didn't have enough strength to lower it gently anyway.

"Oh my," Rachel trailed off, tears once again coming, but this time she didn't try to cover them up. She wasn't the only one crying either.

"C'mon Quinn," Finn continued to encourage her. "You can do it." Quinn nodded and refocused on her left foot. She wasn't able to lift this one much, just enough to slide it beyond the footrest and let it drop. As soon as it did, she released the death grip she had on the arms.

"I did it," she said breathlessly, grinning madly. As she opened her eyes, she found herself almost tackled by Rachel.

"Oh my god Quinn, you moved," Rachel said, hugging her tightly. "You moved your feet. And you knew." She got up, slapping Finn against the arm even as Santana took her place. "You should have said something Finn. This is amazing."

"I know," he said, agreeing with both statements.

"I asked him not to say anything," Quinn told the group. "It's really hard and sometimes the feeling goes away like before, but I'm trying really hard. I want it to be a surprise for my mom, for all that she does for me." She turned toward Shelby, the only mother she knew besides her own. "Do you think she'll like it?"

"She'll love it," she said with certainty. "And she'll be so proud." Quinn grinned shyly.

"Okay Finnenstein, you might have a place in this career after all."

"Thanks Santana," Finn replied. "That means a lot coming from you."

"I know, right?" The Latina said, before smacking his other arm. "And you just made me cry." The party broke up shortly after that. Shelby needed to get Beth back at a decent time and the rest were so emotional they were exhausted. Rachel wasn't the only one who cried the next morning.


	35. Chapter 35

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Rachel gasped as she sat upright in her bed, her shoulders heaving with the deep breaths she couldn't stop herself from taking. "Rachel?" Rachel jumped at the soft voice, before recognizing the fiery Latina standing quietly in her doorway.

"Santana," she exhaled loudly. She bent over, pulling her legs up and burying her face in her knees as she tried to calm her rapid heartbeat. Once she felt calmer she looked up. Santana had taken a few steps inside her bedroom, just enough to lean against the wall as she regarded the Diva.

"You okay?" she asked, calmly moving from her place and sitting on the bed.

"Nightmare," she replied evasively.

"Want to talk about it?" Santana offered. Rachel shrugged.

"I really don't remember it," she admitted. Santana thought about pushing her, but Rachel really didn't lie very well. "I just remember feeling really, really scared." She shivered. Santana reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "What are you doing up?"

"Brit needed some water," she shrugged. "Then just watching her drink made me thirsty." She showed the brunette the bottle of water in her hands. "Then I heard you cry out. And not like you do with Finn." Rachel blushed and tucked her head back into her knees. "You really okay? I'm sure Brit won't mind if you sleep with us."

"I'm fine," Rachel looked up. "I just have a really bad feeling right now and I'm not sure why."

"It's just stress for tomorrow," Santana told her. "We're going home for the wedding of the two people who supported us all through our crazy, evil, high school years. Even though we both know there probably won't be a wedding. You're seeing your husband for the first time for two weeks, which has felt like a lifetime for you. Trust me, I know." She smirked at the Diva. "And to top it all off, we're going to the airport with a dog, a cat, and a cripple and we have no idea how that's going to work out. It's enough to give anyone bad dreams."

"You're probably right," Rachel admitted. "Although I have done plenty of research regarding the airport and have the power point presentation to support it. Besides, we have two dogs. We can't forget Mack."

"Right, Mack," Santana smacked her head in mock indignation. "How can I forget Lord Tubbington's nemesis."

"I thought that was Tobey," Rachel said, smiling slightly. Santana frowned.

"No, he's Lord Tubbington's knight in shining fur." Rachel smiled, which was what Santana was hoping for. "Now get to bed. We have to start early if we're going to be at the airport at ten for our three o'clock flight."

"I knew you were listening to the power point," Rachel grinned as she climbed back under the covers. Santana smirked as she headed for the door.

"I will deny it till my dying breath," she warned then was gone. Rachel smiled and sunk into her bed, trying to dispel the fears her nightmare created. Santana was right. She was just overreacting to the stress of tomorrow. Rachel forced a smile on her face as she went back to sleep.

The next morning was extremely chaotic. Neither she nor Santana had gotten as much sleep as they wanted. Rachel reacted with her usual grace, the only outward sign of her tiredness was the extra-large cup of coffee she sported, while Santana was being her usual bitchy self. Quinn and Brittany were trying to help, but Quinn could only help so much and Brittany kept getting distracted. Eventually Santana put them in charge of the animals, much to Brittany's delight. They finally made it to the airport, arriving a few minutes behind schedule.

"Look who finally decided to show up," Kurt mocked them. Santana growled at him and he quickly backed off.

"Don't be mean," Blaine told him as he helped gather the bags together. Between the bags for the four of them and the two kennels, they were taking up a lot of space. Eventually Rachel just parked Quinn inside the building, Tobey dutifully at her side and Lord Tubbington on her lap, while the rest of them moved everything in.

"Shelby isn't here yet either," Kurt said once they had everything in. He and Blaine went back outside to wait for the remaining members of their party.

"Oh," Brittany exclaimed, "we need name tags." She ran off, Santana quickly following behind her so she didn't get lost, leaving Rachel and Quinn to watch everything. Rachel sighed.

"You okay?" she asked Quinn. "You've been awful quiet this morning."

"I'm just nervous," Quinn admitted. "And scared."

"I know," Rachel told her. "But it will all be okay. And later tonight you'll see your mom." Quinn smiled. Tobey put his head in her lap, ignoring the protesting growl from Lord Tubbington. Rachel smiled at them. Kurt came back in a few minutes later, leading an overly excited Beth over to the group. Lord Tubbington started hissing when an equally excited Mack forced his way onto Quinn's lap. Quinn automatically started petting the puppy, keeping a firm hand on the cat kennel that was almost ready to tip off her lap.

"Where are Brittany and Santana?" Shelby asked as she and Blaine joined the group, the rest of their luggage in her hands.

"They're coming," Quinn said. Everyone started looking around. Sure enough a minute later Brittany rejoined the group, her hands full of little name tags. Santana following quickly behind.

"I wasn't sure which ones we needed so I got some from everywhere," she said, handing out various tags to everyone. They each took them with a smile.

"This way," Blaine said, motioning to the appropriate ticket counter.

"Can we get someone to help us with our bags?" Santana asked. Rachel nodded and rushed off, returning a moment later with two porters. They efficiently loaded up all the bags and kennels.

"This way please," the first porter said, pushing his cart through the throng of people.

"Stay close," Shelby said to Beth, who nervously nodded and took her hand. Rachel pushed Quinn, Santana herded Brittany, and the boys took care of the dogs. They followed the porters past the regular line and over to a VIP section.

"Miss Berry," the senior agent came out to greet them. "Miss Fabray. I am so happy that you have chosen to fly with us." She had the eager look in her eyes Rachel had come to recognize as fans, but thankfully she didn't gush.

"And us?" Santana snarked from behind. The agent looked at the rest of the group, her eyes widening as she recognized Blaine and to a lesser extent Brittany. She looked at the rest. She had seen them somewhere before, but it wasn't until her eyes landed on Quinn that she remembered where. She had been following the Fabray case with manic obsession. Nearly everyone in the group had been photographed with the blonde at some point.

"Of course," she said apologetically. "I am happy you all have chosen to fly with us." She smiled brightly. "Let's get you checked in, shall we?" She quickly stepped behind the counter and quickly and efficiently checked them in. The whole process was much smoother than Rachel anticipated, until they got to the dogs. "Would you like to check them in now or wait?"

"What?" Rachel asked. "I thought you preferred people to check in early."

"Oh we do," she agreed, "but animals are a special consideration. Many prefer to keep their animals with them until the last possible moment, especially since as soon as they're placed in the kennel they will be stuck there until you arrive at your destination. Thankfully, you are not connecting beyond Columbus so their confinement won't be that long."

"Wait," Quinn said softly, her hands tangled in Tobey's fur so tightly her knuckles were turning white.

"We'll wait," Rachel said, gently unclamping Quinn's hands and holding them instead. "When should we return with them?"

"An hour and a half," the agent told them. "That should be plenty of time to get them settled, since all the paperwork has been completed. I would also recommend letting them relieve themselves before you bring them back. There's a relief area on the far side of the building."

"Thank you." Rachel smiled her brightest smile toward the agent and was rewarded with a huge smile. The porters took their checked bags away. Then they loaded up the kennels onto one of their carts and pushed them toward a group of chairs they motioned to. "Thank you," Rachel said again, slipping the porters a generous tip.

"And now we only have four hours to kill," Santana grumbled, taking a seat and pulling Brittany onto her lap.

"It's better to be early than late," Rachel replied, sitting down and pulling Quinn as close as she could. "Are you okay?" Quinn nodded stiffly. Rachel frowned, clearly not believing the blonde, but she didn't press. Instead, she took her hands in hers, her thumbs rubbing gentle circles on her skin. "It's okay," she murmured continuously.

"We'll go get some lunch," Blaine offered, pulling Kurt away with him. Shelby and Beth joined him, leaving the four girls alone.

"Quinn?" Brittany asked, leaving Santana's lap and scooting over to Quinn's. She looped her long arms around Quinn's neck, hugging the girl tightly. "I know it's scary, but we won't let anything happen to you."

"Thanks," Quinn managed to reply after a moment. "It's just a bit much."

"It's okay," the blonde replied, lying her head awkwardly on Quinn's shoulder. "Take all the time you need." They stayed like that until the others came back with lunch. They told stories while they ate, embarrassing each other good naturedly until it was time to return with the dogs. Blaine and Kurt took the dogs to the relief area one last time while Shelby and Santana cleaned up their mess. Rachel motioned to the porters, who moved the kennels back to the ticket counter. The agent was waiting for them when they got there.

"Are you ready?" the agent said. Rachel nodded.

"They are just relieving themselves one last time," she explained. The agent nodded, going over the paperwork while they waited for the dogs. Tobey immediately went to Quinn's side when they returned.

"I'll see you in a bit," she cooed at him. He licked her face before reluctantly getting in his kennel. Quinn reached out, holding Rachel's hand tightly when he started whimpering. Mack wanted nothing to do with his kennel, but he had no choice when Shelby picked him up and threw him in. He started whining loudly.

"They'll be fine," she assured them as they were wheeled away. "Shall we?" She surprised them when she escorted them to a special security line and made sure they made it through security. Going through security was traumatic for Quinn, but thankfully she had a very nice woman helping her and Rachel stayed with her every step of the way. Once everyone was through the agent led them to one of their club rooms. The other members did a double take at the group that came in, then quickly returned to their own business. The agent spoke briefly with the hostess before returning to the group. "This is Melissa. She will let you know when it's time for your flight. Until then, please enjoy yourself. And if you need anything, don't hesitate to call." Melissa smiled brightly at them from her desk by the door.

"Can we go explore?" Beth asked. Shelby nodded.

"Here," Melissa handed her a key card. "This will let you back in when you're done. Does anyone else need one?" Brittany raised her hand. Santana sighed, getting to her feet as Brittany nearly jumped up and down in joy. Rachel looked desperately towards Kurt, who sighed and pulled his boyfriend from the room, calling out to Santana to wait. "Is there anything I can do?" Melissa asked, holding out a bottle of water to the Diva. She shook her head.

"I've got this," Rachel told her.

"If you need anything, please let me know." Melissa smiled before heading back to her desk. Rachel watched her go before turning back to the blonde.

"Quinn?" she called quietly. The blonde was deathly pale and shivering. Rachel didn't wait for Quinn to respond. Instead she pulled the blonde from her chair and into her lap. "Please talk to me." She didn't think Quinn was having one of her episodes, but she couldn't deny the blonde was terrified.

"He's gone," Quinn finally managed.

"Only for a little while," Rachel almost sagged with relief. Quinn was just reacting to the trauma of going through security without Tobey. "In a couple of hours we'll be in Ohio and Tobey will be there waiting for you."

"Promise?" Quinn asked, crying into Rachel's shoulder.

"I promise." Quinn just cried harder. Rachel could do little but hold Quinn as she cried, rubbing her back gently. She never really understood how much Quinn relied on the dog, but now she knew why Russel had always threatened to take him away. That one threat held more power over Quinn than anything he could physically do to her. Quinn had nearly cried herself to sleep by the time it came to board their plane. She had also soiled herself, something she hadn't done in weeks. Rachel refused to let her dwell on that though. She discreetly took Quinn to the restroom, leaving the rest to settle the boarding arrangements. Once Quinn was ready, they rejoined them and they made their way to the group.

Getting onto the plane was nearly as traumatic as leaving Tobey. Quinn had to give up the safety and security of her own chair for a special one the airline used to navigate the tiny aisles. They boarded first to give the airline workers plenty of space, but even so Quinn was physically separated from the group for a few minutes. Rachel continually called out encouragement, and she was in the seat next to Quinn and pulling the girl into her arms as quickly as possible. Quinn was crying into Rachel's shoulder while Santana glared at anyone who looked their way. Brittany and Beth looked confused, wanting to help but not knowing how, while Shelby, Kurt, and Blaine dealt with the flight attendants. By the time they were ready to take off everyone had calmed dramatically.

The flight wasn't too bad, except Quinn refused to let go of Rachel's hand leaving the Diva stuck. Not that Rachel wanted to leave Quinn at all. Rachel had even managed to doze a bit by the time they landed, leaving her refreshed. Getting off the plane wasn't nearly as bad as getting on. This time the airline workers were helping Quinn into her chair, instead of away from it. And everyone kept telling her they would get Tobey as soon as they could.

They had a small welcoming committee when they finally made their way down to baggage claim. Finn was eagerly waiting for his wife, while Judy was eagerly waiting for her daughter. Frannie had also made the trip. She was talking quietly with her mother when they approached.

"Rachel!" Finn called out, waving his arms in the air. She smiled and steered the group towards him. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," she said, throwing herself into his arms and kissing him deeply. Judy walked over and gave a quick hug to Shelby and Beth before kneeling down next to her daughter. She could tell immediately something was wrong.

"Quinn?" she asked quietly. Quinn shook her head, but let her mother pull her in for a quick hug. Judy looked up at Rachel.

"It was a very traumatic flight," Rachel explained as they walked over to the baggage carousel.

"Never again," Santana groused. "Next time you're on your own." She stalked over to the carousel, which had started unloading bags. Brittany and Beth were pointing out their bags so she could grab them, while Blaine and Kurt went to retrieve the animals.

"I'll see if I can find someone to help us with our bags," Shelby said, leaving the group for a moment. Frannie followed her, the sight of Quinn scared to death a little too much to handle right now.

"Hey," Judy said, hugging Quinn tightly again. "It's okay. I promise." Quinn could only shake her head. Until she finally heard him.

"Tobey," she whispered. Everyone looked around until they caught sight of the dog running towards them, Kurt barely hanging on to the leash as he tried to keep up. He didn't stop until he nearly jumped into her lap.

"Here," he said as he handed the leash to Judy. He turned to Finn while he tried to straighten his hair. "Mack and Lord Tubbington are still over there. And Tobey's kennel."

"I can help with that," Finn offered, just as Shelby returned with some porters. Finn made his way over to where Blaine was waiting patiently.

"They probably need to go bathroom," Blaine said. He had Mack on his leash.

"There's a spot around the corner," Finn said as he helped get the kennels to the rest of the group. He looked around in amazement at all the stuff they brought. "You guys know this is just a weekend trip for some of you right?" Santana scoffed.

"We're women. Overpacking is in our DNA."

"Right," Finn said as they tried to sort out the transportation. Santana, Kurt, and Shelby all had rental cars, which they headed off to pick up. "We should let the dogs go bathroom. C'mon Tobey." Judy passed him the leash, but he refused to move.

"Maybe Quinn can go with you?" Rachel suggested. Quinn nodded.

"C'mon Tobey," she said, pushing herself after Blaine, who was leading Mack. Tobey followed Quinn easily. Fran watched them go in awe.

"I didn't believe you when you said she was getting better," the older Fabray sister was saying.

"She continually amazes me," Judy said, before snapping at Rachel. "Why did you make her check Tobey in like that?"

"The airline website clearly stated their policy for transporting pets," Rachel replied calmly. "I ensured all the proper documentation was collected ahead of time and double checked the requirements for their enclosures." Judy sighed.

"Tobey is not a pet," she calmly explained, trying to reign in her anger. "He is a seeing eye dog. He gets special treatment. Did you mention that to the airline?"

"There wasn't a spot on the website," Rachel trailed off, looking down. "I'm sorry. I put her through an ordeal that was completely unavoidable if I had just researched more fully. It will never happen again." Judy sighed.

"It's okay," she said, pulling the brunette in for a hug. Rachel looked like she was about ready to cry. "You made a mistake. I'm sure it hasn't been the first one you've ever made and I'm sure it won't be the last. And God knows I've made plenty of mistakes myself." Rachel nodded and discreetly dried her eyes as both groups returned.

"We've got our cars," Santana said.

"And the dogs are ready to go," Blaine said, handing Mack's leash over to Beth.

"I've got my truck, so if you need extra space for your bags or the kennels I have plenty of room. I don't even mind going out of my way." Everyone nodded as they started sorting their bags. Eventually Finn ended up taking the two dog kennels in the truck, along with Rachel's bags. He would drop the kennels off at the Fabray mansion before heading to the Berry's house. They made plans to meet up later before going their separate ways. Each couple needed some alone time after the stress of the flight.


	36. Chapter 36

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Quinn," Judy called carefully as they pulled out into the late afternoon traffic. They had loaded up everything with Quinn safely in the back seat. "Do you want to stop anywhere for dinner? We still have a bit of a drive ahead of us." She patiently waited for a response.

"Quinn?" Fran asked after a few minutes. Still hearing nothing the older daughter turned in her seat. "Aww," she cooed under her breath. Judy took a minute to adjust the mirror, seeing her younger daughter completely dead to the world, Tobey's head in her lap as he watched over her.

"I guess that answer's that," Judy said, adjusting her mirror once more. She turned to her oldest. "How about you?"

"Maybe we can hit a drive thru or get something to go?" Fran suggested. "I don't want to disturb her. The flight must have been terrible for her." Judy nodded.

"Any place in particular?" Judy asked. Fran shook her head. "How about Nate's? We can get some of those sandwiches you like so much than eat them at that park you always gush about."

"I do not gush," Frannie scoffed but nodded her head. "The park has special meaning for me. It's where I first met Dennis."

"And we all know how that went." Judy grinned at her oldest, who blushed and looked down at her hand. She twiddled with her new engagement ring, a silly grin on her face. They stopped and got their sandwiches, getting a small one for Quinn in case she woke up and drove to the park. They were talking casually as they ate in the car since it was too cold to eat at the picnic tables like they wanted.

"I think I'm going to stretch my legs for a bit before we take off," Fran said, rubbing her lower back for a minute. "Tobey? Do you want to go for a walk?" The dog looked at her but never took his head off Quinn's lap. "Do you think we should force him? He probably needs to stretch his legs more than we do." Judy shook her head.

"He'll be fine. If he needs to stop he'll let us know." Fran nodded and headed out into the cold winter air. Judy watched her go suspiciously. "I think she's keeping something from me," she told the dog, reaching over to scratch behind his ears. "I think we might be hearing the pitter-patter of little feet soon." Smiling, she turned her attention to Tobey. "Are you hungry big guy?" She pulled a baggie full of dog food from her purse, opening it and offering a few bites to the dog. He huffed and turned his attention back to Quinn. "Maybe later," she whispered, putting the food away just as Fran came back.

"You know," she started as she pulled on her seat belt, "the boys are going to want to play with Tobey. They were really excited when they thought you had a dog."

"That will be up to Tobey," Judy replied, getting back onto the highway. "Maybe once Quinn is settled and feels safe again Tobey will let them play with him." Fran shook her head in disbelief.

"You know, I saw him at the hospital, and I've heard a million times how great he is to her, but it never really sunk in until now how much she needs him."

"This is nothing," Judy told her. "You should see them when they really get going. Or when he actually is working. Their bond is amazing."

"I hope I can see it," Fran said, smiling.

"You will," Judy told her. "As for the boys, they might have better luck with Mack. He loves to play with anything he can get his paws on."

"Mack?" Fran asked.

"Beth's dog," Judy explained. "He is a cute ball of universe ending destruction, but in the adorable kind of way. Since she and Shelby are staying with us, Mack is too."

"Where was this animal loving mother when I was begging for a puppy?" Fran asked. Judy's eyes darkened.

"Having her life run by Russel." They were both quiet for a moment. Frannie reached out tentatively for her mother's hand.

"I'm sorry mom. I didn't mean that." Judy forced a smile.

"I know sweetie. It's in the past now anyway." Fran nodded, and pulled back enough to turn on the radio. They were both quiet as they drove the rest of the way home. Quinn didn't wake up once, not even when strange arms took her into the house and put her to bed.

* * *

Quinn stretched as she slowly woke up. She petted Tobey, who was laying on the bed with her, and then settled back while she slowly took in her surroundings. She froze when she realized she didn't know where she was.

"Rachel?" she spoke quietly, her hands exploring. She stopped at a warm strip on her bed before realizing the sun was streaking through a window. Though she had a window in her room, the high rise next door never let the sun streak through enough to get to her bed. "Tobey?" she whispered. The dog licked her face comfortingly then jumped off the bed. He turned once more to lick her fingers then he left the room.

Quinn closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down. Tobey wasn't scared so that meant she was safe. As she calmed down, she heard children playing nearby. She also heard Mack's playful bark and Beth's giggles. She thought hard before remembering. The trip to Lima for the wedding. She opened her eyes and started feeling for her chair when she heard Tobey walk back toward her.

"Quinn?" Judy asked, settling herself on the side of the bed.

"Mom," Quinn said in relief. She leaned forward, resting her head against her mother's chest.

"I'm sorry Quinnie. I thought you would sleep longer."

"What time is it?" Quinn asked, pulling herself upright.

"Just after seven," Judy told her. "I was just making breakfast for everybody. I thought I would have enough time to do that before you woke up."

"It's okay. I was just a little scared." Judy hugged her tightly. "Do I have time for a shower before breakfast?"

"Sure. Do you need any help? Breakfast can wait."

"Umm," Quinn shrugged uncertainly.

"I can help."

"Frannie?" Quinn asked, a big smile on her face. "I thought I dreamed that you were here."

"What can I say," she smiled. "My little sister is making her grand, triumphant return home. I can't miss that. Besides, I think it's time you met the boys."

"The boys?" Quinn asked, before turning her head to the window.

"Yep," Fran said. "That's them making all this racket. It's a good thing we don't have any neighbors that live close by. They probably would have called the cops by now." She watched as Quinn found her wheelchair and pulled herself in. "So can I help or would you prefer mom? I can take over breakfast duty, but then it might be a tad inedible."

"You can help," Quinn told her. "It's mostly telling me where things are or getting things for me, since I don't know this place yet."

"Got it," she said, pulling Quinn's bag from the corner and placing it on the bed. "Bathroom stuff. Anything else you need right now?"

"My pills," Quinn said, before gasping. "I didn't take my nighttime pills."

"You did," Judy quickly reassured her. "You woke up, briefly, around ten. I was able to coax some food into you, and your pills, before you crashed again. You were really out of it so I'm not surprised you don't remember."

"Oh," Quinn said, looking down. Judy smiled at her.

"I am glad to hear you are taking your medication seriously though. I remember a time not too long ago when you wouldn't take anything on your own."

"You forced me to take it," Quinn said, smiling slightly. "And now it just seems normal."

"I'm glad dear. Now I better get back to the kitchen." She looked at Fran. "If you need anything, just holler."

"Okay," Fran said, double checking that she had everything. She turned to her sister. "Is it okay if I just push you? I'm not very good with directions, even inside, so I'd probably have you running into a wall more than once."

"That's fine," Quinn said, holding onto the bundle that Frannie gave her. She could hear the laughter coming from the backyard. "Tobey? Do you want to go play?" Tobey jumped up and gave a little bark, but stayed by her side. "It's okay. Go play." With that he was gone.

"The boys will be excited," Fran said as she pushed the chair carefully out of the room. "They've been trying to get him to play since last night." Quinn nodded as she was pushed into the bathroom. "Now I have no idea about any of this stuff. Mom had the den and office converted into your room and bathroom when she got back, but I have no idea how any of this works."

"It's okay," Quinn said, pushing forward slightly and running her hands over things until she got a basic layout of the bathroom. She was relieved to find it was similar to the one in New York. She quickly, unabashedly shed her clothes and moved into the shower. "Can you hand me my shampoo and body soap?"

"Here," she said, naming each one as she handed them over. She watched as Quinn put them in a specific place before feeling for the shower controls. "You are amazing, you know that?"

"It's just a shower," Quinn said dismissively as she pulled the curtain.

"It's so much more than that," Fran whispered, tears in her eyes. She loitered in the bathroom, ready to help at a moment's notice, but Quinn didn't need much help. The hardest thing she did was get Quinn a towel since Quinn didn't know where the rack was. Quinn wrapped the towel around her and was back in her chair. She combed her hair, brushed her teeth, and took her medicine all without any help. She even managed to find her way back to her room.

"I think I'm good now," Quinn said, pulling out various articles of clothing from her bag.

"I think you were good then," Fran said. "The kitchen is just past the living room. Mom got rid of the steps between the two, so you should be able to roll right on through." Quinn nodded and focused on the task at hand while Frannie slowly backed away, leaving her sister to get dressed. "Wow," she said when she suddenly found herself in the kitchen.

"What dear?" Judy asked distractedly. Frannie shook her head.

"I was just thinking about when she was in the hospital. She couldn't even get out of bed on her own, now she's ready to take on the world." Judy smiled at her. "She's amazing."

"Yes she is," Judy agreed, just as Tobey came to the porch door. Fran let him in, frowning.

"Does he need something?" she asked as he ran past them.

"He's probably getting Quinn," Judy said, as Beth ran in after them. "Did you need something sweetheart?"

"Nope," Beth said, grinning excitedly as she sat down at the counter. A minute later Quinn pushed her way in, guided by Tobey. Beth ran over to her as soon as she set the brakes. "Is it time?"

"What?" Quinn asked, before blushing and looking down.

"C'mon Quinn. You can do it. You did it before."

"What are you two talking about?" Judy asked. Beth grinned.

"Quinn has a surprise for you," she said, grinning madly.

"Fine," Quinn huffed, swatting the young girl away lightly. She started concentrating.

"What?" Judy started to ask, only to be stopped by Beth.

"Sshh," she hissed, staring at Quinn. Judy and Fran followed suit, wondering what was happening. It took them a minute to realize Quinn had lifted her right foot.

"Ooh," Judy clamped her hands over her mouth, tears streaming down her face as she watched Quinn move her foot forward and lower it to the floor. She did the same with her left foot, but was only able to move it further up on the footrest before she slumped back in her wheelchair.

"Oh my God," Fran fell heavily into her chair, tears streaming down her cheeks while Judy moved to hold her youngest daughter.

"How? When did you? Why didn't anyone?" She couldn't seem to form a coherent thought. She pulled Quinn tightly against her.

"I can usually do better," Quinn said nonchalantly. "I can usually get my left foot to the ground too, but sometimes it still doesn't work right. I can even stand for a few minutes, but only with a lot of support and Adam holding me up. Adam only lets me do it once a week though. He's afraid I'm gonna hurt my arm again if we do it too much."

"Have you tried walking yet?" Fran asked. Quinn nodded.

"Adam let me try once, but it didn't go very well. He held all my weight, but I just couldn't get my legs to move like they were supposed to. He said we'll have to practice and then we can try again later. But I'm not just lying there while they move my legs anymore. I can move them a bit on my own, and I can even push off against their hands with my feet sometimes."

"That's great Quinnie," Judy said, not letting go of her. "And when you start walking, I want to be the first you tell. Even if it's in the middle of the night." Quinn nodded and Judy reluctantly pulled away. Beth gave her a quick hug then ran for the door.

"C'mon Tobey. Let's go play." Tobey followed after her, leaving the three women in the kitchen. A minute later a man came in from the backyard.

"Uh oh," he said cautiously as he made his way toward them. "What's wrong? Or more importantly, what am I walking into?"

"Nothing's wrong silly," Fran said, standing up and moving into his arms. "These are happy tears."

"If you're sure," he said, kissing her slowly. She nodded and he reluctantly released her and moved toward Quinn. "I would like to introduce myself. My name is Dennis. I'm the lucky man who's dating your sister."

"Dennis?" Quinn shook her head as she held out her hand. He took it gently. "But. Brian?" Dennis looked back at them, confused.

"Oh Quinnie," Fran said, coming over to put a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Brian was Russel's choice, not mine. I thought I loved him, but it turned out neither one of us were actually happy. We were just pretending for our families."

"But don't you have kids?" Quinn asked, rubbing her eyes.

"We do," she agreed. "Two boys. Lucas and Josh. They're out back playing with the dogs. And Dennis has a son, Jerry. We've been living together for the last year. And he asked me to marry him." She took Quinn's hand and guided it to her ring. Quinn's eyes got big as her fingers explored the simple band. "He proposed just before we found you. We haven't set a date yet because I want you to be part of the wedding."

"Of course," Quinn gushed before she thought of something. "But what about Brian?" Fran sighed.

"We realized we were better friends," she told her, glancing apologetically at Dennis. "It was never our dream to settle down and raise a family so quickly. He wants his career, and frankly, so do I. I just wasn't ready to settle down and be his cute little housewife. And he wasn't ready to be the secondary income in the family."

"So you're… not married anymore?" Quinn asked, struggling for the right word.

"Divorced," Fran supplied. "Yes. I think it was more of a shock to Russel than anybody else. We separated about the same time mom and dad got divorced. He disappeared right after the divorce was finalized. I thought all this time he left because of what I did." She sighed. "Anyway, the divorce is amicable. We're still friends and have a rather good relationship considering. He has the kids on weekends when his schedule allows for it, and he gets them over the summer. He's a great part-time dad. Just not that good of a full-time one."

"I'm sorry," Quinn said, squeezing her hand gently. Fran looked to Dennis, who nodded imperceptibly.

"Thank you," she smiled at them, "but we do have some news of our own we'd like to share." She reached over and took his hand in hers. "I'm pregnant."

"What?" Quinn gasped while Judy broke down into tears again.

"I've suspected for a couple of weeks now, but the doctor just confirmed it last weekend." Judy threw herself at her oldest daughter, beside herself with joy. She started babbling on about baby showers and nurseries. "Now hold on a minute," Fran said, trying to reign her mother in. "We don't want anyone else to know yet. The only other people who know are Dennis's parents. We haven't even told the boys yet."

"We're not quite sure how to tell the boys," Dennis piped up. Fran smiled lovingly at him just as said boys came traipsing in.

"Grandma? Do you have a sled? Beth said Tobey can pull people in a sled."

"I might have an old one in the garage," Judy said, wiping her eyes discreetly. "But you don't have enough time for that right now. Breakfast is almost ready."

"Let's go get cleaned up," Dennis said, picking up the two smaller boys around the waist, causing them to laugh. The older boy and Beth followed behind.

"Don't forget towels for the dogs," Frannie called out after them, cringing when she saw the paw prints they left on the polished floors as they followed the boys. "Sorry. I should have had them bring the dogs into the garage to dry off."

"It's okay," Judy said tearfully, looking at the paw prints curiously. "You know, there was a time not too long ago where that would have been a huge deal."

"I remember," Fran said, moving around to rest her head on her mother's shoulders. "What happened to that woman?"

"Life happened." Judy sighed and turned to her daughter. "You've been here for a few days. Why didn't you tell me about the pregnancy before?" Fran sighed.

"I was scared," she admitted. "I remember what happened before with a pregnancy out of wedlock, and I was terrified I would get the same treatment. I should have known better."

"Well, nobody's perfect," Judy laughed. "Especially me. But I am happy for you."

"Thanks mom," Fran said, smiling. "Now we better have something for breakfast by the time they get back or they might just eat the table." Judy smiled and together they made breakfast. The morning passed comfortably as Quinn got to know her sister's family for the first time. She was quiet at first, but as more and more time passed without anything bad happened, she opened up more and more. She was laughing by the time it drew to a close. Fran and Dennis were taking the kids somewhere special while the rest of them went to Breadstix.


	37. Chapter 37

Warnings and disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Aren't people supposed to have receptions after the wedding?" Quinn asked as she and her mother were driving to town. Judy offered to drive Shelby and Beth, but neither were sure how long they were going to stay. Shelby thought it best to drive herself in case Beth got tired or bored and they needed to leave early.

"Usually," Judy said, watching her daughter from the corner of her eye. This was the first-time Quinn had chosen to sit up front. It spoke to her growing confidence and Judy couldn't be prouder. "But after the first try, the reception was extremely uncomfortable. It was the first time everyone had gotten together though, so you kids went ahead and made it a reunion. The second time the adults followed in your footsteps. By the third time, everyone agreed that having a rehearsal dinner, a bachelor and bachelorette party, and a reception was a bit much, so they were all combined into the pre-wedding reception. It's the time for everyone to meet again, catch up, and generally have fun before the wedding. It's a big relief for Emma too, having everyone goof off before the wedding instead of at the wedding."

"That's why she almost made it the last time?" Quinn asked, staring out the window thoughtfully.

"Part of it," Judy said, glancing over at her daughter. "Is something on you mind? We don't have to go you know. We don't even have to go to the wedding if you think it's too much."

"No, I want to go," Quinn said quietly before turning away again. Judy was quiet, knowing something was bothering her daughter. She hoped Quinn would eventually talk to her if she stayed quiet. She was rewarded with a quiet voice. "Am I going to Hell?"

"What?" Judy asked as she jerked hard on the steering wheel, grateful that she wasn't in New York anymore since she probably would have caused an accident. Instead she skidded off the side of the road next to a corn field. "You've got to stop throwing these things at me with no warning," she said, clutching her chest as she tried to slow her breathing.

"Sorry," Quinn said, looking back toward the window. Judy quickly put the car in park and took her daughter's hands.

"Quinn? Why did you ask that?" Quinn looked unsure for a minute before sighing.

"The Bible says it's a sin for a man to love another man and a woman to love another woman. Daddy always said those people are an abomination and they're all going to Hell and people who support them are going to Hell and they should all just leave so they can't taint us."

"I know that's what your father thinks," Judy said quietly, "but why would you think you're going to Hell?" Quinn shrugged.

"Kurt and Blaine like each other," she said after a minute. "And Santana and Brittany. And I like all of them." She looked down at her lap and mumbled the next sentence so quietly Judy had to strain to hear. "And I think I like girls."

"Oh Quinnie," she said, pulling her daughter as close as she could in the car. "Can we be honest with each other?" She felt Quinn nod into her shirt. "If you had told me this before your accident, I probably would be freaking out right now. I'd probably say you're just confused and you just haven't found the right guy yet. But when you left and I started spending time with that group, I realized there was no right way to love, only wrong ways. Being true to yourself is always the right way."

"But the Bible says it's wrong," Quinn protested.

"The Bible says a lot of things are wrong," Judy countered. "Like eating bacon or divorcing. Do you know what the Bible says about getting remarried after a divorce?" Quinn smiled slightly. "The Bible was written for a different age. You can take what it says literally, but you'll be missing out on a whole myriad of opportunities."

"Do you think it's wrong?" Quinn asked. Judy shook her head.

"I think love is never wrong." She waited for a minute before asking. "Do you think Kurt and Blaine are wrong? Or Santana or Brittany?" Quinn shook her head.

"How do you know?" Quinn asked, pulling herself away from her mother's embrace. "Was there ever anyone else you loved besides daddy?"

"I love you and your sister more than I thought possibly," Judy told her, "and I love her family, and Beth. But no, there's never been anyone since your father."

"Why?" Quinn asked curiously. Judy sighed.

"We got married for the wrong reasons," she started. "Of course, it was a different world back then. High School sweethearts marry, raise a family, and live happily ever after back then, even if it was all pretend. I didn't think that would be us though. I thought we would have the perfect marriage. It wasn't until after Frannie was born that I realized I'd made a mistake. I think Russel realized it too, but back then you didn't get a divorce. You lived with it, made it work as best you could." She looked down, embarrassed with herself. "Sometimes I wish I was as brave as Fran. If I had just told him I made a mistake then, I think he would have agreed and we would have gone our separate ways."

"He wouldn't have divorced you," Quinn told her. "The Bible says that's a sin."

"Maybe," Judy compromised, "but he wasn't so fanatical back then." Quinn pulled back and she stared at her daughter. "So anyway, the drinking started right about then. It numbed the pain, but of course it numbed much more than that. Life happened and your father eventually kicked you out of the house." Quinn nodded. "That gave me my much-needed wake up call. Do you remember we talked about this?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with finding somebody to love?" Judy laughed.

"You make it sound so simple, but it's not baby. I was a mess. In many ways, I still am a mess. I tried dating a few times, but I came to realize I had to figure out who I was before I could focus on anyone else."

"Are you lonely?" Quinn asked quietly. Judy shook her head.

"Oh no. I have enough friends, both guys and girls, that keep me constantly busy. And I have you and Frannie and her family. And I have all those crazy glee club losers and their families. And eventually, when I'm ready, I'll start searching for love again."

"How do you know?" Quinn asked eagerly.

"You can't stop thinking about that person," Judy said dreamily. "Just being in the same room makes the day better. They always know how to cheer you up, even when you don't know your down."

"You smile whenever you hear her come in," Quinn added, lost in thought. Judy watched her for a minute.

"Rachel is a lovely girl," she remarked, causing Quinn to bolt upright.

"How did you know?" Quinn asked frantically, swatting at her shirt like there was a sign she could wipe away.

"Oh Quinn. I've seen the way you act with her. Actually, this puts many things from before into new light. I shouldn't be surprised."

"I'm not good enough for her, am I?" Quinn asked dejectedly.

"You are good enough for anyone," Judy quickly reassured her, "but I don't want to see you get hurt. Our hearts tend to overlook things are brain doesn't. Can we still be honest with each other?" Quinn nodded.

"She doesn't love me, does she?" Judy sighed.

"Love is a very simple word for a very complicated emotion. There's so many different kinds of love that to expect everything to fall under one little four letter word is extreme." She paused for a minute to study Quinn. "I want to focus on three types of love here. Family love, friendship, and romantic love."

"Family love is like how I love you?" Quinn asked. Judy nodded.

"And how I love you. And how I love Frannie. Family love should be unconditional."

"Unconditional?" Quinn asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"No matter what you do, I will always love you," Judy explained. "Even if you destroy the world and everybody hates you, I will love you."

"Daddy only loves me if I'm good," Quinn said sadly, "but I mess up a lot of the time so I don't think he loves me much."

"He should never say that," Judy said sternly, "but some people find it hard to love unconditionally. Your father is one of those people. He does love you, he just doesn't know how to show it." Quinn nodded absently.

"What was the next one?" she asked, desperate to change the subject.

"Friendship," Judy said. "That's what all you kids have. It starts when you meet someone for the first time. It starts off small, but it can grow and shrink by your actions. The closer you get as friends, the deeper the love grows, but it can also fade if life takes you different ways. It can eventually grow into something close to family love."

"Like with Rachel?" Quinn asked.

"And Finn," Judy added, "Kurt, Santana, Brittany, and Blaine. There's a reason I keep calling you guys a family. You love them all, right?" Quinn quickly nodded her head. "And you wouldn't want to hurt any of them, would you?"

"No," Quinn quickly agreed.

"Which brings me to romantic love," Judy said quietly. "This love is deeper than family or friendship love. It is complex and it can bring great joy or great sadness."

"Rachel would never hurt me," Quinn said seriously. Judy frowned.

"But do you want to hurt her?" she asked quietly. Quinn stilled at the thought. "Romantic love is finding the special someone you want to spend the rest of your life with. It can be powerful and dangerous and Heaven and Hell all at the same time."

"That's how I feel about Rachel," Quinn said.

"But is that how she feels about you?" Judy let go of Quinn's hand. "Honey. Rachel loves you like family, but she's in love with Finn. She chose Finn. She married him. I don't even know if she thinks about women that way. It's not fair to make her choose between you, is it?" Quinn shook her head.

"What do I do?" Judy sighed. She could almost feel her heart breaking for her daughter.

"You have a decision to make. If you're happy just being in her life like you are now, you can stay quiet and enjoy the friendship. But if you need to tell her how you feel, need her to know how you feel, you might force her to choose. And if she chooses Finn, it could cost you her friendship. Maybe even more than just hers."

"I don't know what to do," Quinn said, tears pooling at her eyes. Tobey, recognizing her distress, put his head between the chairs and licked her fingers.

"Oh baby," Judy said. "I wish I could tell you everything would work out, or even tell you which choice you should make. But I can't. Many friendships have been lost over these kinds of feelings. All I can say is don't do anything rashly. Really think about what you want and what you're willing to risk getting it." Judy carefully wiped the tears away from Quinn's eyes. "And if you ever need me, I will always be here for you. I love you, no matter what." Quinn nodded as she pulled herself together. "Do you still want to go? I have some ice cream back at the house and we can have a sad movie marathon." Quinn finally smiled at that.

"No. I really do want to see everyone."

"Okay, but anytime you want to leave you just say the word." She got ready to put the car in gear but turned to her daughter instead. "Anything else you want to discuss before we go again and I run the car into a ditch? Is it time to talk about where babies come from?" Quinn shook her head. Judy pulled the car back onto the road, trying to think of something they could talk about. "How did the practice test go? Didn't you take it last week?"

"Yeah, but I didn't do very good. I was pretty sad about it, but Nathan said that's why there was a practice test, to see how it would be and see what areas we needed to work on."

"Was it too hard for you?" Judy asked. Quinn looked down.

"I got distracted and confused, and sometimes I put the wrong answer down even though I knew what the right answer was. And he had to read the test to me since it wasn't in Braille and sometimes I forgot what he was saying while he was talking."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," Judy said. "You could have called." Quinn shrugged.

"Brittany cheered me up. She told me about how she wasn't very smart and barely passed her tests too."

"Remind me to thank her," Judy said as they pulled into the parking lot.

"Mom?" Quinn asked before Judy could open the door. "Where do babies come from?" Judy smiled.

"I'll tell you when you're older," she said as she got out. Quinn laughed. Thanks to their little talk they were the last ones there, but Judy had the foresight to call ahead and reserve a table in the back that would keep Quinn mostly out of the way. Not that she wanted to hide her daughter. She was worried about her having an episode with so many familiar things around.


	38. Chapter 38

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Grandma!" Beth exclaimed happily as she ran out of the restaurant to meet them. "We got the table for you. We even had them take one of the chairs away for Quinn. Why are you so late getting here? Did you get lost?"

"No Beth, we just had a little chat along the way and didn't realize how long it took." She looked over at the overly enthusiastic child. "Can you hold Tobey while I get the chair out?" Beth nodded and opened the back door carefully. She used her body to block the exit while she carefully attached the leash, not that Judy thought that would stop the dog. And not that she ever thought Tobey would do anything like that. Sure enough, while she struggled to get the chair out from the trunk, Tobey hopped down from the back seat and stood patiently at Beth's side. Quinn pulled herself smoothly into the chair once it was free but she let her mother push her in the unfamiliar surroundings. Finn saw them coming and quickly held the door open for them.

"What?" he asked when the chatter died down as soon as they entered. "Haven't you ever seen a dog before?" A few people laughed and just like that talk started up again. Judy smiled at him gratefully.

"Thank you."

"Not a problem," he told her. "Your table is over there, right next to ours." She looked where he was pointing. Shelby was waiting patiently at their small table, just big enough for the four of them, and next to them were four tables pushed together for the Hummel-Hudson clan, the Berry men, and Anderson family. Judy noticed Rachel had put herself closest to where Quinn would be and she sighed when she thought about her daughter's looming love life.

"Is everything alright?" Shelby asked once Beth had distracted Quinn with the menu. Judy nodded.

"Just another bombshell my daughter dropped on me," she said quietly. Rachel heard and raised her eyebrows questioningly. Judy waved off her concern. "I just need to go freshen up," she said, once the waiter had come and taken their orders. She excused herself to the ladies' room. Rachel quickly followed her.

"Is everything alright?" she repeated the question, taking the opportunity to fix her make-up. Judy nodded, then turned to the Diva.

"You would never hurt my daughter, right? At least, not intentionally."

"Of course not," Rachel exclaimed. "Why?"

"Just remember she's confused," Judy said, not answering the question. "You've had over a decade to muddle through your feelings and figure out who you are and who you want to be. She's just starting to realize it's okay to feel things."

"You're scaring me," Rachel said, moving closer to the older woman. "Did something happen on the way here? Shelby said you left right after her, but she's been here thirty minutes already."

"No," Judy shook her head, smiling weakly at the younger girl, "but I'm afraid something will. And I'm worried it could destroy everything we have." Judy finished touching up her make-up and left, leaving Rachel reeling in the bathroom.

After a few minutes she followed her out, glancing at their table as she retook her seat. She could tell Quinn had been crying, but Kurt was already there, being able to spot a make-up emergency even in this crowded room. She didn't look sad though, she was nodding and smiling at him as they talked, so she decided to bury her curiosity for the time being. She would figure out what Judy was talking about later and enjoy this day. She did keep a hawk like gaze on the blonde though.

"Alright, Alright. Can I have everyone's attention?" Someone called out after nearly everyone was done eating from a stage that was along the far wall. "I would like to thank everyone for coming out for our bi-annual wedding reception." That got a chuckle out of everyone. "Even if some of you are fashionably late."

"Like seven years late girlfriend," Mercedes called out from somewhere in the crowd. This prompted a round of clapping and whooping.

"Anyway, I would just like to say a few words before we really get started. First, I would like to thank Sugar Motta and her father, who's kind generosity rented out this place for us."

"Again!" Sugar shouted out, causing the crowd to laugh again.

"Again," Mr. Schue corrected himself. He got quiet for a minute before speaking. "When I took over glee club nearly a decade ago, I wasn't sure exactly why I was doing it. I thought it was to relive my glory days. But it was really to find myself. Because I was lost. So lost I didn't even know I was lost. You guys saved me, my original New Directions. For that I can never say thank you enough."

"We love you too Mr. Schue," Puck shouted out.

"Sometimes I think you guys taught me more than I ever taught you. And most importantly, that choir room gave me, gave all of us, a safe place where we could be ourselves. In that room, I learned everything about who I am and want to be. I met my lovely wife and bride to be, Emma, and I found a family I cherish over my own relations. So, I just want to say thank you all for being here as Emma and I celebrate our love."

There was a giant wave of applause after that, and more than one person wiping their eyes dry.

"Now that we've gotten all the heavy stuff out of the way, I want you all to enjoy yourselves. Use this time to reconnect with each other. Catch up and enjoy old times. Get all your passive aggressive anger and snide comments out of the way, and yes Santana, I was talking to you."

"Whatevs, you know you love me," Santana smirked from across the room. More laughter.

"And let's get this party started. It's open mike and we have the dance floor set up. So, let's get our groove on." The room groaned at that one, but everybody started moving to dance. Someone took the mike and soon the sounds of rapping filled the air.

"He sounds like a really great teacher," Quinn said.

"He is," Judy agreed. "He did so much for you kids. More than I ever did for you."

"May I have this dance?" Puck broke in, disrupting the moment before it could get depressing. Quinn laughed.

"They're rapping," she told him. "How do you even dance to rap?"

"Any way you want," he told her. She laughed as he started pulling back her wheelchair. "Wait. I don't want to dance in the chair."

"I can carry you," he offered, surprised when she nodded.

"Just don't let go," she said as she pushed back enough to let him scoop her up in his arms.

"Never," he whispered as he carried her to the dance floor. They stayed out for several songs before her grumbling stomach reminded him that she hadn't finished her dinner. He returned her and was quickly pulled away by someone else. She was constantly approached throughout the night by people. Individually and in small groups, though never enough to overwhelm her. She finally met Artie, Tina and Mike who finished off the original New Directions. She met Matt, Sugar, and Lauren who admitted they were only there for a year or so and had been too intimidated to try and get to know her. She was confused by that. She didn't think she could intimidate anyone.

"May I have your attention please," someone said harshly into the microphone, "for all the good that will do." The room went completely silent. "I have had the displeasure of being intimately familiar with the bride and bride wanna be," Sue glanced over at Will, "for more years than I will even admit to being on this Earth. I have watched them intently, as a hunter watches her prey, and loathe I am to admit it, I envy them. They have found something few can say, someone who will not only put up with all their idiosyncrasies, someone who loves them because of them. And despite my many attempts to break up and or kill them throughout the years, their love has remained as true as it was the first time Will Schuester nearly killed his entire Glee Club to ask for the hand of a neurotic woman who couldn't even stand being in the same room as the pool. I'm still not entirely sure how you ever thought that would turn out good?" The room laughed at that. "So, raise your glasses, or your sippy cups, to Will and Emma. I have never been happier to be proven wrong. Congratulations buddy."

"To Will and Emma," sounded out throughout the room.

"Who was that?" Quinn whispered to her mother, as she started rubbing her eyes.

"Coach Sylvester," Judy explained. "She's the cheerleading coach at McKinley. She can be a bit brash, but she really does care underneath that gruff exterior."

"If you say so," Quinn murmured quietly, just as the woman in question came over to their table.

"Hey Q," she greeted as she pushed Kurt out of his chair and sat down at their table. Kurt glared at her but was rescued by Blaine, who pulled him to the dance floor. "I thought I'd have to use my bear spray to get those gleesers to leave you alone long enough to come say hi."

"Umm," Quinn said, not quite sure what was going on here. She reached out for her mother's hand, and Judy immediately grabbed it, and squeezed, but she was being unhelpfully quiet. Tobey sensed Quinn's confusion and stuck his head out from under the table, growling softly at the woman, but Sue wasn't fazed at all.

"Nice kitty," she said, as if a growling dog at her lap wasn't anything to worry about. "You should see the new crop of Freshmen we have this year. Just thinking about them makes me want to bash my head against the wall repeatedly. You would have thought they would have learned something since the year started, but I guess hoping for two miracles in one year is reaching."

"Two?" Quinn asked, rubbing her eyes again as she started searching for her sunglasses. Judy handed them over without saying anything.

"I don't often say things like this and mean them, but this time I do, and I will deny it with my dying breath if anyone ever asks, but it is good to see you Q."

"Thanks Coach," she replied. She thought the 'Coach' part would feel awkward when she said it, but it felt right.

"Don't get teary-eyed on me now Fabray, that's what tomorrow's for." And without another word she was gone.

"What did she do?" Rachel immediately demanded, at her side in an instant. Quinn could only shake her head. "I have half a mind to file a complaint against her, not that it would do any good."

"You know her?" Quinn asked, slipping on her shades. She felt instantly better.

"We've all had the misfortune," Kurt replied, leaning against her other side. "You should be flattered. She only insults people she likes and I think you're only the second person I've seen her not insult. That means she really likes you."

"She doesn't even know me," Quinn argued.

"Actually, honey," Kurt said softly, "she probably knows you better than you know yourself right now." Quinn looked confused.

"You were on her cheerleading squad," Finn explained. "You were the youngest person ever to make Captain. You were only a Freshman. Nobody has been able to do that before or since."

"I was a cheerleader?" she asked in bewilderment. The only thing she knew about cheerleaders is that they wore skimpy clothing and her father hated them.

"You, Santana, and Brit," Finn told her. "You guys were amazing too. Won the National Cheerleading Championship every year except one."

"Why? What happened?" Quinn couldn't stop herself from asking, curious about this part of her life she never knew about.

"You have to understand that Coach Sue is a little bit crazy," Kurt started and somehow Quinn knew this would be a good story.

"What did she do?" she asked, nearly giddy with anticipation.

"She tried to shoot Brittany out of a cannon," Rachel told her. "And not one of those theatrical cannons that shows sometimes use. A real life, honest to God, cannon."

"No way," she whispered.

"Way," Kurt added. "She was trying to convince Brittany to do it and tried to show her how safe it was by shooting a dummy out. We were picking up pieces of mannequin for weeks."

"So what happened?"

"You, being the responsible and level-headed Captain that you were, tried to bring it up through the proper channels, but Sue has always gotten her way. You tried rallying the rest of the squad, but they were too afraid of Sue's wrath to do anything. Eventually you had to take drastic action and quit, taking Brittany and Santana with you."

"Then what happened?" Quinn asked.

"Without her star performers she lost," Finn said. "She was brought down a peg or two,"

"Or ten," Rachel added. Finn smiled.

"She actually seemed a bit more human after that," he said, reminiscing. "At least for the rest of that year. She didn't try to ruin us as much as she usually did."

"Ruin us?" Quinn asked.

"The Glee Club," Kurt explained. "She had a personal vendetta against the Glee Club. Still does from what I hear."

"Wow," Quinn said, taking off her shades and handing them to her mother. Judy took them cautiously.

"Do you need to go home sweetie?" she asked.

"No," Quinn answered, eyes widening when she realized the headache had stopped. "It stopped. It's never stopped on its own before."

"Leave it to Sue to know exactly how much to push," Kurt said as he left the table, pulling Rachel with him. "I know you've been dying to perform for all these people."

"I have," Rachel said quickly, but she was hesitant to leave the blonde's side. Judy smiled at her.

"Go show them what Broadway is all about," she said. Rachel smiled nervously as she and Kurt took the stage. Their duet was amazing and brought the house down, until Santana started griping about real music and she and Mercedes took the stage. Eventually everyone started taking their turns on the stage, with everyone else enjoying themselves and having a good time. Quinn was having such a good time she didn't realize she had been there over four hours until a tired Beth crawled into her lap.

"You ready to go Beth?" Shelby asked as she rejoined the table.

"No," Beth shook her head, but was yawning at the same time.

"C'mon. I think it's time for bed." Shelby was gathering her things, ready to take Beth home when they suddenly had two visitors at their table. "William. Emma. Congratulations again."

"Thank you," the red head said, but Will only had eyes for Quinn.

"Oh, God Quinn," he said, throwing himself into her arms and hugging her tightly. She normally flinched when people touched her unexpectedly so she surprised herself when she returned the hug just as tightly. "I couldn't believe it when I heard. I wanted to rush up there that second, but they said you didn't remember and they wanted to go slowly."

"It's okay Mr. Schue," she told him softly. "I missed you too." Will Schuester, who had never been afraid to let his emotions show, had tears streaming down his face. He also didn't look like he was letting go anytime soon, even though Quinn was paling and starting to tremble.

"Emma," Shelby asked politely, seeing the delicate state Quinn was working up to, "do you mind if I borrow your husband for a dance?"

"No, not at all," the guidance counselor said, recognizing something was happening and not having any idea how to help. Shelby stood and pulled Will away from Quinn, dragging him to the dance floor. The red-head took a step closer to Quinn. "Quinn. I want you to know we are always here for you. Even though you're not a student anymore my door is always open. And I know Will feels the same way about the choir room." She reached out and hesitantly put her fingers on Quinn's arm, only to jerk back when Tobey popped his head out and laid it in Quinn's lap. "Oh. There's a dog." She looked hesitant but forced her hand back, laying it gently on Quinn's arm. "I just want you to know you are very important to both of us and if you ever need anything you can call."

"Ms. Pillsbury. Can I have this dance?" Finn extended his hand politely. Emma looked between Quinn and Finn before nodding. He helped her to the dance floor. Once she had left Rachel quickly took her place.

"It's okay Quinn. Just focus on my voice." She grabbed the blonde head with both of her hands, leaning down until their foreheads were touching. "Don't try to force it. Just focus on my voice. Knowing it's there is enough. It will come. Just let go. Focus on me." Rachel continued to coach Quinn.

"Is everything okay?" Will asked quietly, his dance forgotten as he watched the scene unfold.

"Yeah," Finn said. Will reached out and clutched Emma's hand, pulling her tightly against him. "Rachel will sort her out. She just gets these episodes sometimes. It was nothing you did," he reassured him. He nodded and watched as Quinn reached out for something. Judy put a pair of sunglasses in her hands. Rachel lifted her head long enough for Quinn to slip them on before lowering again so they were touching. The whole time she continued to whisper reassurances to the blonde.

"Great party Mr. Schue," Santana glared as she approached him. "Great to know you can still knock us for a loop."

"She doesn't mean that," Brittany followed closely behind her, giving both of them a big hug. "She's just worried about Quinn. We were worried that seeing everybody might trigger an episode, but she really wanted to come."

"At least it happened when most of the people are too drunk to notice or have already gone home," Santana added. "I will defend my girl's privacy."

"Santana," Emma scoffed before turning to Finn. "Is there anything we can do?" He shook his head.

"Rachel has it all taken care of," he said lovingly. They watched as Rachel slowly straightened up, her hands moving to Quinn's shoulders and her eyes never leaving Quinn's hazel ones. Quinn passed the shades back to her mother before she started rubbing her eyes tiredly, one hand clenched in Tobey's fur. Judy gathered her purse before approaching them.

"It's time for us to be off," she said as she gave Emma a quick hug. "Thank you for a lovely evening."

"I'm sorry for that," Will apologized. "I didn't realize." She waved off his concern.

"It was bound to happen at one point. The evening actually went better than I hoped." She leaned in and kissed Will on the cheek before turning back to Emma. "I'll see you at the chapel at ten to help with the decorating?"

"You don't need to," Emma started. "If Quinn needs you more." Judy looked back to check on her daughter. She could see the pained expression on her face that clearly told her she had a headache, but she was chatting amicably with the Berry men, trying her best to act normal.

"I'll let you know," Judy compromised.

"I'll be there," Shelby told them, smiling. "Beth also wants to help, but I'm afraid it might be more like hinder."

"I'm sure we can find something for her to help with," Emma said, as she hugged the women once more. They moved back to their table. Shelby plucked a nearly asleep Beth from Quinn's lap. She protested lightly but was asleep again before they made it to the car. Finn helped Judy get Quinn out to the car, Rachel hovering nervously next to him.

"If you need me," she said to Quinn, but Rachel caught Judy's eye. The elder Fabray nodded. Finn helped her get Quinn into the car, Tobey quickly jumping in after her. By the time she pulled out of the parking lot Quinn was already asleep.


	39. Chapter 39

Warnings and disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Hey," Emma greeted when Judy showed up at the chapel to help decorate just a little bit later than scheduled. "I honestly didn't think you were going to make it." Judy shrugged, accepting the large cup of coffee Shelby held out to her. Judy smiled gratefully, reminding herself that she wasn't the only one who didn't get much sleep last night.

"Quinn had a pretty rough night," she told them.

"I am so sorry," Emma exclaimed, putting her hands over her mouth. "If I had thought it would hurt her I would have never suggested we talk to her."

"It's okay," Judy quickly reassured her just as the glee girls came into the church. "The first meeting is always the hardest, but then things start coming to the surface. Besides, she was so excited to finally meet you." Emma nodded but looked unconvinced. "Anyway, she was pretty tired this morning so I'm letting her have a bit of a lie in. She promised she would be ready for me to pick her up at three for the wedding."

"You don't have to do that," Rachel said, coming over. "It's all the way across town and all the way back. I can call Finn and have him pick her up. Him and the other guys are guarding Mr. Schue anyway. It will make him feel good to have something to do."

"Really?" Judy checked, not really looking forward to driving across town considering how tired she was. Rachel nodded, took a few steps away, and pulled out her phone. A minute later she returned.

"Finn said he's more than happy to help out," she told proudly.

"Oh, thank you," Judy gushed. "I would hug you right now, but I don't want to wrinkle your gorgeous dress. Where did you get it?"

"From me, of course," Kurt said as he and Blaine entered the chapel. "Oh, my goodness. What are those Neanderthals doing?"

"Just don't look," Blaine said, pulling a visibly shaking Kurt closer towards him. He moved to block Kurt's view and turned to Emma. "It's lovely." Emma sighed.

"No, it's not. After watching them decorate so many times I thought I could handle it. But it's a disaster." She started crying softly.

"Don't cry," Mercedes said, handing her a tissue but knowing better than to touch her without prior knowledge. "We can fix anything. Right Kurt?" Kurt looked around thoughtfully.

"It's a challenge," he smiled at their guidance counselor, "and you all know how I love a good challenge. What do I have to work with?" Shelby led him off to a side room that had various decorations scattered around. They heard him whoop with joy. "Ladies," he exclaimed as he rejoined them. "We've got a wedding to prepare for."

He began issuing orders like a General leading his troops into battle. He called in some of the guys for some heavy lifting, and sent some of the girls off with shopping lists. By the time Mr. Schue and the rest of the wedding party got there, Emma was crying tears of joy.

"Look at this place," Mr. Schue said with a big grin. "It's absolutely amazing."

"Isn't it bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?" Tina asked. Mr. Schue grinned.

"Maybe that's where we've been going wrong this whole time," he said, pulling Emma close. "I've got a good feeling about this one. This time we're going to make it." She giggled before pushing him away.

"Kurt, you did an amazing job. Thank you very much." He bowed.

"Now it's time for the ladies to get ready. Boys, just try not to destroy everything before we get back."

"No promises dude," Puck said playfully, but before Kurt could respond, Finn was walking up to them.

"Finn?" Rachel asked seriously. "Did you forget something? Or someone?"

"No," he shook his head. "I went over to Quinn's house, but no one was home. I tried calling out for Quinn, even tried calling out for Tobey, but there was no answer. I thought maybe someone had already picked her up and forgot to tell me."

"What?" Rachel asked, that cold pit of dread she had been feeling since before they flew here was suddenly back in her stomach. She turned desperately to Judy. "Did you?"

"No," she said, eyes wide.

"Frannie?" Rachel grasped, but Judy shook her head.

"She and Dennis headed home yesterday. The boys had to get back for school. Oh God."

"Let's not panic," Rachel said, taking charge of the situation. "Knowing her, she probably got tired of waiting and started rolling herself down the street. I'll just call her and find out where she is." Santana nodded desperately while Brittany clutched her hand.

"That's it," Mercedes said, trying to bring a bit of levity to the group. "Homegirl is not allowed to be invited to any more weddings unless we lojack her booty first." A few of the guests laughed, but mostly everyone was staring at Rachel.

"She's not answering," she finally said, turning to Finn. "It went to voicemail. I tried three times." She sank onto a bench. "Oh God. It's happening again. She promised she would be at a wedding and she isn't here."

"The hell it is," Santana nearly shouted. "The last time you made the mistake, we all made the mistake, of not looking. It took us seven years to get her back last time. I'll be damned if I'm going to wait that long again." She turned toward Emma. "I'm sorry Ms. Pillsbury, but I gots to go look for my girl."

"Go," Emma said without any hesitation. Shelby moved closer to Judy, grabbing the older woman's hands tightly.

"Let's not panic," Rachel stood, finding her inner strength. "She probably just slept through her alarm. And Finn banging on the door. And my phone calls."

"And Tobey?" Brittany asked, close to tears. Rachel shuddered and turned to Judy.

"We should check the house first, just to make sure. May I borrow your keys?" Judy nodded mutely, leaving Rachel to actually dig them out of her purse. "I'll call soon," she promised. She headed out of the chapel closely followed by Finn, Puck, and Santana. Thirty minutes later she got the call no parent ever wants to get. "It's bad," was all Rachel could say before she broke into tears.

* * *

Judy had no idea how she got back home. All she knew was something bad had happened to her daughter. Again. As the car she was riding in pulled up to the house, she saw Rachel and Santana crying on the porch. The reason they were on the porch became clear when the police car pulled up behind them. The first of many.

"Mrs. Fabray," Detective Franks greeted her somberly. "I was hoping to never have to speak to you in an official capacity again."

"No offense but the feeling is mutual," Judy told him. He nodded and led the way to the porch.

"One of you called this in?" he asked the two girls sitting silently. Rachel raised her hand. Judy couldn't stop her gasp when she saw Rachel was covered in blood. His eyes narrowed. "Did either of you disturb my crime scene?" He took out his notebook and started taking notes.

"Yes Sir," Rachel admitted numbly. He raised an eyebrow and scowled.

"Did you at least have a good reason for disturbing my crime scene?" he barked. Rachel nodded.

"We were trying to save Tobey," she said mechanically.

"Tobey?" he asked.

"Her dog," Santana answered. "The dog was still alive so they were trying to save it. While they did, I did a quick check of the first floor for Quinn, but she isn't here."

"Where is this dog now?"

"Puck and Finn took him to the vet," Rachel answered.

"Look," Santana snapped, standing up and glaring at the detective. "We didn't touch some of the more obvious stuff, but that dog is like family to all of us. We weren't about to let him die just to preserve a crime scene that may or may not help you."

"Was the house locked?" Detective Franks asked, still writing in his notebook. Rachel nodded, showing him the key Judy had given her. He took the key gingerly. "Everyone stay out here until we clear the house." He motioned for several of the uniformed officers that had joined him. Two stayed with the group, keeping a lookout, while the rest followed him into the house. Judy couldn't stop the shriek that came when she looked through the open door and saw the puddle of blood.

"Here," Shelby was there immediately. She tried to lead the other woman away, but Judy refused to leave, so instead she guided her onto the porch swing next to Santana. A few minutes later Detective Franks rejoined them.

"There's no sign of anyone in the house," he said as he motioned his crime scene unit forward. "I'm sorry to have to do this again, but was there any indication your daughter was unhappy? Perhaps this weekend was too much for her?"

"No," Judy said, rummaging through her purse for her phone. "She was looking forward to the wedding. I am not going to do twenty questions with you this time. This time I have all the answers."

"Ma'am?" he questioned. She pulled out her phone.

"After the last time, I had a security system installed," she explained. "I have cameras covering both doors, the back porch, and the driveway, as well as sensors on the windows. The nearest monitoring center is in Columbus, but they should be able to send me footage from the last few weeks."

"Excellent," the detective smiled. "Please make the call."

"Sir," one of the officers called over. "We have signs of forced entry on the front door. Fresh tool markings."

"Call dispatch and find out if the alarm was set off at all," he asked one of the officers. Even if the monitoring station was in another city, any alarm would trigger a call to the local police. "And find out where those kids took the dog then get someone over there right away."

"The footage is being sent to you," Judy said after a few minutes.

"Great. Let's get inside and take a look at it." They nodded, none of them were dressed for the cold weather, and followed him. He took them around the back of the house and in through the porch since the entranceway was still an active crime scene. One of the officers followed them in with the laptop from his car.

"Nothing from dispatch, Sir," the officer reported as he booted up the computer. "Ellen said it was a pretty calm night. The only action was some drunk and disorderly roaming the streets from the wedding party." He glanced briefly at them but was smart enough to not comment.

"Was your alarm system active when you left the house?" Franks asked. Judy shook her head.

"I turned it off when I left. Quinn was still tired and I didn't want Tobey or Mack to accidentally set it off. More Mack then Tobey actually."

"Mack?" Franks frowned.

"Mack!" Rachel gasped. "Where is Mack?"

"Who is Mack?" Franks asked. Judy answered him.

"He's Beth's puppy. He's still being house trained, so we left him in his kennel in the garage, but he's proven to be something of an escape artist. I was worried he'd get out of his kennel and set the alarm off trying to get out of the garage." She sunk into a chair. "How could I have been so stupid? This is all my fault."

"It's not your fault," Franks reassured her. "I would have done the same thing in your shoes. For now, let's just focus on finding Quinn." He motioned to an officer to check the garage. She came back a few minutes later carrying a sleeping ball of fur.

"No sign of anything being disturbed there," she reported, "and this little guy was sleeping away." She handed the puppy to Judy, who clutched him tightly.

"That means whatever happened," Franks said despondently, "happened quickly and quietly."

"We got the file boss," the first officer told him, moving the computer so they could get a better look. "Nice resolution. Good coverage. That company knows what they're doing."

"Now we just need a time." He looked at Judy. "When did you leave the house?"

"Just after ten," she told him. The officer nodded and put in the time for the playback.

"Focus on the driveway and the entrance way right now." The officer nodded. They watched as Judy and Quinn had a conversation in the entrance way, the officer fast forwarding so it made them look like they were moving extremely fast. They watched Judy leave, her car quickly moving down the driveway, while Quinn was heading back to her room when suddenly her hand landed on one of Tobey's toys. They could see her grin as they started playing a game of tug of war when suddenly Tobey dropped the toy and stared at the front door. "Hold it," Detective Franks said, but the officer was already ahead of him. He had already rewound the recording and was playing it in real time.

Quinn and Tobey looked to be having a good time when suddenly Tobey dropped the toy and took a step toward the door, his teeth bared.

"He's snarling," Rachel said as she watched over the Detective's shoulder. "He never does that. Even when we were constantly hounded by the press." Nobody said anything as they watched. Quinn turned herself around halfway when suddenly the door opened and Russel Fabray entered the house. He said something, which caused Quinn to stop in shock, but Tobey didn't hesitate to attack. He leapt at Russel only to be stopped short when Russel plunged something into his side. This unfroze Quinn, who immediately fell out of her chair toward the dog, desperate to help in any way. They watched as Russel approached his daughter and grabbed her by the arms. She struggled against him until he pulled out a rag from his inner pocket. He held the rag over her face until she stopped struggling, then gracefully carried her outside, making sure the door locked behind him. The officer switched to the driveway, but they couldn't see anything.

"Where is he?" Judy demanded. Franks frowned.

"He must have parked down a side street," he thought out loud before turning to the officer at the computer. "Scour every street cam we have until you get me a car and license plate number for this bastard, then put out an APB. I want this bastard found before he can do any more damage to that girl."

"Yes Sir," the officer replied, wanting to catch the bastard as much as his boss.


	40. Chapter 40

Warnings and disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

The wedding was officially off. The wedding party had been waiting for any information since Rachel's cryptic and morbid phone call, but when Shelby led a crying Judy back into the church, followed mechanically by Rachel and Santana, they knew it was bad. "Her father took her," was all Rachel had to say for them to know how bad it was.

Emma had started calling people, telling them the wedding was off, but when they heard the reason they all came anyway. Not to celebrate their wedding, but to hold vigil. One of the officers stayed with them, passing on information as quickly as Franks got it. He knew what the uncertainty did to Judy Fabray the first time and wanted to at least avoid that as much as possible.

"We've got his car," she reported, trying to sound upbeat. "We've already contacted nearby federal, state, and local agencies to help locate him. He won't get far." An hour passed. "The surrounding states are helping with the manhunt. If he's trying to take her and run he won't get very far." Another hour. "Columbus just sent down their chopper. It's just waiting in old man Wilson's field right now, but at least we'll be ready to jump when we get something."

"Hey," Finn said when he and Puck joined the crowd. Their shirts were covered in blood. "Any news?"

"Nothing yet," Rachel said, pulling him close. "Tobey?" He sighed.

"They had to rush him into surgery," he told her softly. "Emergency surgery. The vet said its touch and go right now. Too early to tell." Rachel cried softly on his shoulder. She wasn't the only one.

"Let's get you guys cleaned up," Mr. Schue approached them cautiously. They nodded, allowing themselves to be led away. They returned a few minutes later wearing clean clothes.

"His car was just spotted," the officer excitedly told the group. "It was caught on a gas station security camera. He was getting gas in the town of Friendship."

"Friendship?" Puck asked. "There's nothing out that way except for…"

"Shawnee State Forest," the officer said suddenly disheartened.

"That place is huge," Finn said. "We could look all winter and still never find him."

"Which is why the chief is pulling out all the stops. He's already contacted Friendship PD and the park rangers."

"That won't help," Sam said, frustrated. "It's the middle of winter. Off season. That whole place is like a ghost town. Minimal staffing if any at all."

"Which is why he's asking for volunteers to help search," the officer told them. "He's calling in search teams from nearby areas, but there's still a lot of ground to cover. If anyone's interested in helping…" He didn't need to finish that sentence as nearly everyone climbed to their feet.

It took only minutes to figure out who would be going. The first groups rushed out of the chapel immediately, piling as many into the cars and trucks as possible. They only stopped once, to change into their cold weather gear, before they started the trek down to the state line.

The second group was a bit more practical. They made phone calls and organized themselves a bit better before heading out. They also took down any supplies and gear they thought might be useful. The third group was the people that were staying behind, worrying as their friends and family rushed out into the cold wilderness. They took over the phone calls when the second group left, trying to help as much as they could but knowing the best way they could help was to wait. All any of them could do was wait as day turned into night.

* * *

"This is bullshit," Puck swore as he kicked the wall in frustration. "We should be out looking now." Charlie, the only park ranger there at the time looked on in sympathy.

"Son, I know you want to help your friend, but the sun will set in twenty-five minutes. When it does, you can't see anything in front of you. The temperature drops to below freezing. You'd be wandering around blindly, barely coherent from the cold. How is that going to help?" Puck sighed as he ran his fingers through his mohawk.

"You're right. I just want to do something." Charlie smiled sympathetically.

"I know. The best thing you can do is get a good night's sleep and be ready to go at the crack of dawn." Puck nodded, letting himself be pulled away by Mike.

"C'mon," Mike guided him toward their room, grateful they had one. There was only one hotel inside the park, a hunting lodge, and it was closed for the winter. The lodge's owner had graciously opened his doors when he heard what was happening, though space was becoming short as more and more people arrived. He let himself be pulled to the four rooms the Lima group had claimed as theirs. One for the girls, one for the guys, and two for the other adults who had come rushing.

"It's not fair," he complained as he sat at the foot of the bed. "They won't even let us in on their planning session."

"That's cause you don't have any experience in searching or rescuing," Finn said, using his arms as a pillow as he laid on the floor next to the bed.

"I know these woods," Puck challenged. "My dad used to take me hunting here. Before he left anyway."

"That was when?" Sam asked, trying to make a point. "Ten years ago? Twenty? It's probably all changed."

"Not where we went," Puck said softly. "Nothing changes there."

"Enough!" Rider shouted. They all shut up, looking at him expectantly. They had all met him before, some of them had even been in Glee together, but he always showed them a humbled respect that bordered on reverence. This was the first time he had ever raised his voice at them. "It doesn't matter what you think. Those people downstairs are the ones that are going to come up with a plan to rescue Quinn. If you think you know better and don't follow their plan, you're just another stupid asshole they need to rescue. So please, shut up, go to sleep, and let them plan. Cause come tomorrow, when we do start searching, we're gonna need all the strength we've got." Nobody had any response so they turned off the lights and went to bed. But nobody slept.

"Now listen up," the lead ranger, Charlie, was calling out to group assembled in the lobby of the lodge. Everyone listened intently, ready to go even though there was still a few hours before dawn. "We've got a lot of ground to search. Thankfully we've got a lot of volunteers to help us search." He gave a little nod toward the volunteers. "We've divided the search area into five zones. Rangers will coordinate the search efforts from these checkpoints." He pointed out the areas on the map. Everyone quickly copied the checkpoints on their maps. "Trained Search and Rescue personnel will lead the search teams, made up primarily of volunteers. Nancy has your assignments. Head to the checkpoint as soon as everyone in your group is ready." He nodded to the man next to him.

"Thank you," Detective Franks stood up. "We're looking for a dark blue, late model sedan. We've been up all night combing any footage from the surrounding areas in case he tried to double back, but we've come up blank so far. That leads us to believe the car is still in the area. Now it's entirely possible he might have swapped out cars in the forest, but this is still our best lead. The man we are looking for is Russel Fabray." He showed the latest photo of Russel when he broke into the house. "He is considered armed and dangerous. His hostage is his daughter, Quinn Fabray. She is blind, paralyzed, and considered to be in great danger. If you find him do not approach. Call for backup immediately. No heroics."

"Alright," Charlie called out over the gentle murmur that had broken up. "Find you teams and head to your assigned checkpoint. Be ready to start searching as soon as the sun comes up." Everyone nodded and headed over to get their assignments. Somehow Puck, Finn, Santana, and Sue ended up in a group together with a park guide named Tony.

"Okay," they were at the checkpoint eating a hot breakfast courtesy of the local diner while Tony was double checking their supplies. "Our assignment is the old logging road. It's a five mile stretch that loops down into the forest before connecting back on the main road. The good news is it's still used by hunters and fisherman to get into the forest so it's still pretty well defined. The bad news is it's completely overgrown on either side. It also gets close to a natural ravine, so be careful.

"I'll be walking the road. The boys on my left, the ladies on my rights. Spread out as far as you can while still maintaining visual and audible contact with the person next to you. That way we can cover as much ground as possible. If you think you see something call out. Everybody stops where they are. I will investigate whatever caught your attention. You will not move until I either declare a false alarm and order the continuation of our search, or I personally retrieve you and bring you with me. Is that clear?" Everyone nodded, though it looked like it pained Sue to take orders from anyone.

"Take plenty of water and drink regularly," he continued. "I know it doesn't seem like it since it's so cold right now, but you can easily get dehydrated in these conditions. Also, we should be back just after lunch, but take some food with you just in case. You should each have a dry set of clothes, a thermal blanket, and a flashlight with extra batteries in your pack just in case. Hopefully you don't have to use any of that. We're stretched thin on radios at the moment, so we only have the one I'm carrying. Cell phone service is hit or miss, more often missing. If you get separated from the group, make yourself comfortable and wait. It's easier to find someone who isn't moving. Also, I know it looks all nice and flat with the snow, but the reality is far from it. There's fallen logs, gopher holes, boulders, and roots that are all trying to trip you up. Be careful. Getting hurt will do no one any good. Any questions?" They all shook their heads. He dismissed them to gather their gear as he headed to a last-minute meeting with the park ranger who was coordinating at their checkpoint.

"Don't forget your sunglasses," Sue told them as they headed toward the supply corner. They had each brought their backpacks and began filling them with the recommended items. "The sun will glare of the snow like you won't believe."

"How do you know that Coach," Finn asked as he looked at the various protein bars before grabbing a couple at random.

"Sled dog training in the Arctic," she smirked. Finn rolled his eyes. Of course, Sue wouldn't give anyone a straight answer. "I had to resign two weeks in. My natural alphaness kept scaring the dogs. They would only cower in fear before me."

"Of course," Santana agreed before she left to go wait in the parking lot. The others quickly followed her. The sun was just starting to peak over the horizon when Tony rejoined them.

"Everybody ready?" he asked, double checking his supplies and triple checking theirs. "First rule, stay safe. Second rule, no heroics. I have no problem dragging you back here by the ear and handcuffing you to the chair if I even think for a minute you will put yourself or anyone in my group in danger. Clear?" Everyone nodded. When the sun had risen enough where they could see, nearly everyone in the checkpoint made their way out. The group got smaller and smaller as search teams separated for their assigned areas. Finally, they made it to their starting point. "Okay," he said as he gave them one more pep talk. "The car will be the easiest thing to spot, but don't discount boot tracks. Remember, if you see anything suspicious call out." They spaced themselves out and started walking.

The slow going was agony for Puck, who wanted to race through the forest until he had Quinn safely in his arms, but after a few near falls he grew to appreciate the slow pace. He also appreciated the times when Tony called for them to stop a lot more than he let on. When he looked to his right and saw Finn panting on this last break he didn't feel so bad. "You okay?" he called out.

"Amazing," Finn puffed out.

"Puck," Tony called out, coming over to stand between the two guys. "We should be coming up to that ravine soon. I want you to pull in closer to Finn until we pass it. They you can fall out again." Puck nodded and Tony headed back to the road. Once he had everyone was ready he called out for them to move.

"I forgot how much work this is," Finn said as Puck slowly made his way toward them. "Either that or I'm really out of shape."

"Naw," Puck told him as they carefully made their way forward. "I'm struggling and I'm totally ripped. It must be all the stress."

"Right," Finn agreed. "So, where's this ravine? I totally don't want to be going down there. Santana will never let us hear the end of it if they have to pull us out."

"It's not that bad," Puck told him. "It's right there. You can just barely see it." He pointed to the left. Finn struggled to focus, but was finally able to see a faint line that cut through the snow.

"How do you know it's not that bad?" he asked as they moved closer to the road when the line started heading their way.

"I told you my dad used to bring me hunting up here," Puck replied hesitantly. "He called it hunting, but it was really more of an excuse to drink beer with his friends. But occasionally they did get something."

"And the ravine?" Finn asked. Puck shrugged.

"They were crap shots before they got drunk. They never dropped an animal, but occasionally they would hurt it. It would run until it fell into the ravine."

"And if it didn't fall into the ravine?" Finn smirked.

"It lived to die another day," Puck smiled, before stopping completely. "Woah. Tony!" Finn stopped too.

"Do you see something?" he asked, craning his head around to try and find what Puck saw, but Puck was staring at the ground.

"Don't move!" Puck ordered just as Tony came up. "Stay back."

"What?" Tony asked.

"Something shifted under my feet," Puck said. "The ground doesn't feel so stable."

"Okay," Tony said. "Whatever you do try not to move." He reached around for the rope in his pack. "Tie yourself off and hope you just look like an idiot," he said tossing the rope to Finn. Finn nodded and took a tiny step to grab the rope. That was all it took.

The ice shelf they had accidentally stepped on shattered, causing the snow bank to come rushing down, carrying Finn and Puck with it. It seemed like hours they were tossed around, but in reality, it was merely seconds. As soon as they stopped moving, Puck pushed himself up. Finn was doing the same thing a few feet away.

"Are you okay?" Tony called down from the bank of the ravine. Puck shook his head for a minute then stood carefully. His body ached, but he expected that after the fall. Nothing else seemed broken.

"I'm okay!" he called up as he made his way towards Finn. The big guy was slowly sitting up, breathing deeply. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Finn said. "Just got the wind knocked out of me." Puck gave him a few minutes then helped him to his feet. He checked Finn out, just like he knew Finn was giving him the once over, until they both nodded at the same time. "We're okay!" Finn shouted up.

"Just stay put," Tony said, as he began to pull the road back up to him. "Shit. The rope got severed. We'll have to return to the checkpoint to get more before we can pull you out."

"No!" Puck shouted while Finn unburied their packs.

"Don't be an idiot Puck," Santana shouted down. She and Sue slowly approached Tony's position.

"How short are we?" Sue asked. "We can tie our jackets together to make up the difference."

"And freeze to death," Tony muttered as he searched his pack for any rope he might have forgotten was in there. "Can you climb out?" Puck shook his head.

"Listen. I know this ravine. It's from the dried creek bed that barely gets enough water to flow during the rainy season. If we follow the creak upstream it opens at the lake. The checkpoint is at the far end of the lake." He pulled out his map from his pocket just to make sure he was remembering correctly. Tony was doing the same thing. "It's a three mile walk if that. We'll probably beat you to the checkpoint."

"You guys keep searching," Finn called up. "We're both fine and we have all our supplies." Tony gnawed on his lip, clearly not liking any of his choices.

"Fine," he reluctantly agreed. He reached into his bag and pulled out a ream of orange ribbon. He tied several markers around the area so they would be able to find it again if they needed and then carefully wrote down his coordinates. "I've called the checkpoint. If you're not back there in four hours they will send out a search party for you. You follow the ravine until you reach the lake, then you follow the shoreline until you reach the checkpoint. You do not deviate from that path at all. If you encounter any unforeseen obstacles, you stop and wait for the rescue team. Do you understand?" They looked at each other and nodded.

"Got it," Puck said.

"Don't make me regret this," Tony said before he stomped back to the road.

"You guys sure you're okay?" Santana called down, showing a rare moment of concern.

"Mostly wounded pride," Finn told her. "We'll be fine and back at the checkpoint sipping hot soup while you're still trudging around in the snow." She scowled at him. "Go find our girl." She nodded and soon she and Sue were out of sight. They sat there for a few minutes, catching their breath and drinking water until they couldn't hear their voices anymore. "Will we be okay?" He turned to look at his best friend.

"Yeah," Puck said. "I was able to navigate it quite easily as a kid. And that was dragging a deer and a drunk father behind me. It'll be a piece of cake." He finished his water and put the empty bottle back in his backpack.

"Here," Finn said, handing him a long piece of wood. Puck looked confused.

"I'm not hurt. I don't need a cane."

"I was thinking more along the lines of checking where we're going to make sure the ground is stable." Puck nodded appreciatively. "Knowing our luck, we'll get to the only part of the dried creek bed with water in it and step through the ice and be walking around in wet hiking boots. They'll never let us go out again if that happens."

"Wise man," Puck said, taking the stick and leading the way. "So how are your classes?"

"Weird," Finn admitted. "I'm just taking entrance level stuff right now. The first couple weeks are like a refresher from high school. It's strange. I remember hearing all this stuff in health class, but I can't remember any of it. Like, the last class we were reviewing all the bones in the body. I remember filling out that chart with each bone we have for Mr. Jasper, but I couldn't remember any of the names. Oh, and did you know that we have the same number of bones in our necks as a giraffe does? And their neck is like a hundred times longer than ours."

"No way," Puck said before the two of them had to turn their attention to not slipping and falling. The terrain was smoother inside the ravine, but that just meant there were more places to ice to form. Eventually they started sliding their feet instead of trying to lift them up normally. This helped them go faster, even if they did look funny. After a while the walls began to lower around them as they slowly emerged from the ravine.

"Umm," Finn started as he got his first good look around. "Shouldn't there be a lake?"

"Yeah, just up ahead," Puck said as he pulled himself out. "You should be able to see it."

"I don't see anything dude," Finn said.

"What?" Puck asked, running the few feet to where Finn stood. "Oh shit. We went downstream instead of up."

"Where does downstream lead us?" Finn asked as Puck pulled out his map.

"Pretty much to the middle of nowhere," he told him, studying the map. "But it's not too bad. If we head North for a few hundred feet we should come to a service road. We should be able to follow it to Echo checkpoint."

"Puck?" Finn's soft voice cut through Puck's planning.

"I know Tony said we should stay put," Puck finished, "but the rescue team will be heading upstream trying to find us. They won't think of heading downstream until they make it back to camp and realize we're still not there. We can make it to Echo checkpoint in a little over an hour and they can call and tell everyone we're safe."

"Puck," Finn's voice once again stopped him. Annoyed, Puck looked up to find a pale Finn staring at something behind them. "I think I see the car."

"What?" Puck jerked around so fast he nearly fell. It took him a minute to see what Finn was pointing at, but the flash of dark blue stood out like a beacon. Automatically the two boys made their way toward the car, getting more and more sure with every step they took. Finally, they had a clear view of the car and could easily read the license plate. It was the same one they had burned into their memory.

"What is this place?" Finn asked, looking around for any sign of Russel or Quinn. The car was parked next to a decrepit old two-story cabin. It looked like the only thing keeping it together were the bird droppings it was covered in and one strong gust of wind would knock it down like a house of cards.

"Hunting lodges," Puck said as he pulled out his phone. He and Finn were still in the woods, not daring to go to the clearing around the cabin in case they were spotted. "There's hundreds of them out here. It was a big trend back when dinosaurs ruled the world. When the National Parks were first formed, they had no idea how to manage the land, so anyone with deep enough pockets could build a cabin for their own private use. When they finally figured out how to manage this shit, the park service started telling people no. Eventually these cabins just fell into disrepair."

"How do you know this?" Finn asked as he checked his own phone. They were circling the cabin, desperately trying to find a signal.

"My dad told me as we were vandalizing one." He smiled at the thought. "Good father son bonding activity." Finn smiled then cursed.

"Nothing," he grumbled when they found themselves back where they started. "No signal whatsoever."

"So, what do we do now?" Puck asked. He reached into his bag and pulled out a pocket knife, opening it and brandishing the blade with ease. "We can rush him. He'll never know what hit him."

"No," Finn said. "What if he has a gun? What if he shoots us?"

"I can take it," Puck said with bravado.

"What if he shoots Quinn?" Finn countered. Puck sagged at the thought.

"You have a better idea?" he asked.

"I do," Finn nodded, "but you're not going to like it." Puck looked at him curiously. "You need to go help."

"Fuck no," Puck immediately disagreed. He leapt to his feet, ready to storm the cabin.

"Listen," Finn said, pulling him back down. "One of us has to stay and watch the car in case Russel moves."

"Fine. I'll stay. You go." Finn shook his head.

"I don't know the area like you do. I'll get loster than I already am." Puck shook his head. "Look. You said Echo checkpoint was an hour away, right?" Puck nodded. "You run there and tell them what we found. They'll come in guns a blazing." Puck looked unconvinced. "It's the best option for Quinn."

"Right," he said, resigned. He reached out and gave Finn his pocket knife. "Just in case. No heroics."

"No heroics," Finn agreed, carefully folding the blade up and putting the knife in his pocket. "That goes for you too. Don't fall and break a neck or anything."

"Right," Puck smiled. "I'll be back." And with that Puck was gone. Finn chose a spot where he could easily see the car and what passed for the front door of the cabin. He leaned back against the tree and settled in to wait for reinforcements. He wasn't sure how long he had been waiting when he heard the scream. He didn't remember telling his feet to move. All he knew was he was running toward the cabin as fast as he could.


	41. Chapter 41

AN: TRIGGER WARNING. This Chapter contains a rape scene. Nothing is graphic, but it is still a rape scene. If this offends you, please stop reading now.

Warnings and disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Quinn groaned as she slowly woke up. Her head felt fuzzy, she had a weird taste in her mouth, and she couldn't remember what happened. She tried to call out to Rachel, but her voice was too weak to make the sound. She slowly explored with her hands, hoping to give her some clue where she was, only to stop when she realized she wasn't her bed. Or any bed for that matter. Instead she was lying on a pile of blankets with nothing but cold wood and dirt under them.

"Hello Lucy." Her eyes shot open at the unexpected voice. It had been so long, she almost forgotten her father's voice. Had it always been that cold? She tried to call out again, but the words barely made it out of her mouth.

"Mom?" Russel scowled.

"Your mother's not here," he said coldly. "She can't hurt us anymore." Quinn tried to talk some more, but found she couldn't get any words past her dry throat. "Here sweetie." His voice warmed and had the gently tone she found so comforting when she had first woken up after her accident. Now it scared her.

Russel roughly picked her up under her arms and raised her upper body. Quinn flinched at the touch, but knew she had to save her strength and didn't fight him. He held a glass to Quinn's lips and she eagerly drank, until she realized the funny taste in her mouth was in the water. "No." She tried to pull away, but he held her securely, forcing her to take every last drop. She had a vague memory of being forced to drink before, but thought it was just a dream. When she was done, he dropped her back to the floor, coughing and spluttering.

"It will help you relax," Russel said as Quinn felt herself being pulled back into dreamland. She closed her eyes, hoping this would all be a dream when she opened them again.

The next time she opened her eyes she could tell that several hours had past. It was daytime. She could feel the weak sun on her skin and the floor wasn't as cold as it had been. She could hear her father next to her, reciting passages from the Bible, and her terror shot up. She tried to stay still, hoping her father would think she was still asleep, but he knew her better.

"Lucy," he called her like he used to before when it was time to get up. "Here sweetie." He pulled her up again and put the glass to her lips before she knew what was going on. Thankfully the water wasn't drugged this time and she eagerly drank it down. It helped clear her head more than anything.

"Where are we?" she asked once he pulled the glass away. She put her hands behind her to keep herself upright, still a little woozy from whatever he put in her water the first time. "What did you give me?" Russel chuckled.

"You ask to many questions Lucy. You always have."

"My name is Quinn," she growled, acting a lot braver than she felt. She was unprepared for the slap to her face.

"Thou shalt honor thy father," he told her sternly as she collapsed back to the ground, her hand clutching her cheek. "I've come to realize a lot of thing Lucy," he started, back in his conversational tone she knew so well. "The accident was God's way of giving me a fresh start. Giving us a fresh start. I thought I had passed God's tests when He returned you to me. I realize now the tests were just beginning. For both of us."

"What are you talking about?" Quinn asked, cringing when she heard him move, but he simply started to pace.

"Your mother," he said coldly. "She was the ultimate test. And we both failed. At first I thought she just tainted me, but when you chose her over me, I realized just how deeply she corrupted you. I don't blame you sweetheart," he said, reaching over to put his hand on her head lovingly. "You didn't know how truly evil she is. You still don't."

"I love my mother," Quinn told him defiantly. That earned her a punch to the jaw that sent her sprawling.

"I tried to arrange things for you once you were returned to me. I tried to find you a husband who would at least tolerate you. I knew starting a family was out of the question. Your damaged body was clearly God's way of telling me you were never good enough for children. But there are other ways you can serve God. Every husband needs a doting wife, even one as pathetic as you."

"You're insane," Quinn said from her position on the ground. She had her father speak badly about people before, even heard him preach his crazy beliefs, but this scared her.

"You can say I've been liberated," he said. Quinn shivered and it had nothing to do with the cold floor. "It was a mistake to be so overconfident when your mother found us. I had passed God's test and he wouldn't take you away from me again. It wasn't until the court date that I realized the test was not mine, but yours. And you failed spectacularly." Quinn began inching her hands across the floor, looking for anything that could be used as a weapon.

"As I was running from the court, I realized you would never be able to recover from your mother's vile influence. I was barely able to redeem myself and you've never been as strong as me. It's then I realized the only way to save you."

"How?" Quinn asked meekly, terrified at the answer.

"To send you where you belong," he answered calmly. "With the angels."

"No," Quinn started sobbing.

"It's the only way baby," he said, crouching down next to her and hugging her tightly. "I love you too much to let her ruin you. She has already corrupted your mind. I have to save your soul before she corrupts it too."

"No," Quinn started begging. "Please don't Daddy. We can run away. Just the two of us."

"I'm sorry Lucy, but it's the only way. She will never stop looking for you and she will never stop corrupting you. Just look at the abominations she surrounded you with." She heard the twang as a knife was pulled from somewhere and she immediately thought of Tobey.

"You killed Tobey," she accused.

"He was a sign from God," Russel said sadly, "that I missed. If I had only realized what your unnatural attachment meant, I might have been able to steer you back toward God." He lowered the knife onto her chest. She could smell the tangy odor of dried blood. "I am truly sorry I failed you." He started quoting the Bible again as he drew the blade across her shirt. Her hands frantically searched for anything she could defend herself with, even as her mind raced with possible ways she could escape. He didn't know she was regaining use of her legs, but there was no way she could overpower him right now.

"Ahh," she gasped when the knife slide through her skin on her arm, leaving a shallow line across her skin. She could picture her father kneeling over her, the knife ready to plunge into her heart, like so many of the Bible stories he preferred. "I'm gay," she cried out in desperation. The knife dropped to the ground.

"What?" he asked her in a deathly tone.

"I'm gay," she said again, forcing the words to come out through her tears. "If you kill me now I won't go to heaven. I'll go to Hell."

"That's not possible," he stuttered for a minute. "You've had a child. Gay people cannot have children unless they steal them from good Christian families."

"Beth!" she gasped, barely audible against his ranting. Images began pouring through her head. She felt the now familiar headache that hit her whenever she tried to focus on the memories of her past, but the intensity of this one nearly had her begging for death. She could feel unconsciousness looming, but she knew if she surrendered she would be dead.

"There is only one thing to do." She finally was able to focus in on her father's rant. He knelt over her, straddling her body with his. "I'm sorry, but this is the only way Lucy. It hurts me more than it hurts you, but this is the only way to prove you are not gay. You only think you are because of those abominations your mother surrounded you with. Once you feel the touch of a man it will become clear. Then you'll be able to join the angels in heaven."

"What?" Quinn got out before her father kissed her. And not like any of the kisses she had ever experienced before. Not sweet and gentle, but harsh and demanding. There was nothing she could do as he forced his tongue into her mouth, his hands coming up to cup her breasts. She tried to struggle, her hands searching for the knife she knew lay nearby. She almost cried in relief when she found it, but he easily took it from her shaky grasp with one hand while his other hand fumbled for his zipper, freeing himself.

"This is what must happen to free you," he told her fanatically as he tore off her clothing, not caring that she was left cold and shivering on the floor. He stroked himself as he whispered Bible verses to her until he was ready. "It's the way of the Lord." She barely had time to register what he said when he impaled her completely, not caring that she wasn't even close to ready. She screamed in agony, but his mouth had once again covered hers, soaking up her pain like an avenging angel. He thrust fast and hard, caught up in his own primal urges. Faster. Harder. She screamed and writhed below him until she suddenly stilled. He looked up, never breaking his rhythm, to find her blank eyes staring sightlessly at the ceiling. "It's the way of the Lord," he said again, biting her lips hard enough to draw blood before moving down to her now uncovered breasts. He marked them harshly as he fell back into his lust, moving harder and faster until he felt her body seize beneath him. Her orgasm spurred his own as he shot stream after stream inside her. His body collapsed on top of hers when he was done. Completely spent, he could only stare at the angelic face of his daughter. "You're ready," he said proudly as he finally pulled out of her. He stood and grabbed the knife before plunging it into his daughter.

Quinn's mind was in a daze. Everything that was happening to her was becoming faded and muted. She couldn't tell where fantasy started and where reality stopped. And she wasn't sure she wanted to. But the picture of Beth, her daughter, kept dancing around in her mind, keeping her grounded enough to know when it was time to move. Reality came crashing back when the knife plunged into her chest. It missed her heart, but she couldn't stop the scream as it tore through her. Adrenaline coursed through her system as her body automatically entered into flight or fight reflexes. She somehow managed to trip Russel and started crawling away from him. She heard someone shouting her name, but all her focus was on getting away.

"This is the way of the Lord," Russel preached again as he slowly got to his feet. Quinn managed to move into the hallway. He slowly stalked her, ready to pounce and finish the Lord's work when someone barreled into him hard.

"Get away from her," Finn called out, body checking Russel back into the room. Russel went down hard and struggled to get up. "Oh God. Quinn."

"Finn," she whispered in relief even as she recoiled when he started pulling her away.

"The stairs are three feet to the left," he told her even as he dragged her toward them. "The door is slightly right of the stairs. He has a car out front. We can lock ourselves in till Puck gets back with help."

"Finn!" She shrieked, not focusing on his speech, but on the sounds of her father getting to his feet. Her warning came too late though. Russel viciously punched the young man in the side, causing him to lose his grip on Quinn. He then threw him into the railing. The railing shattered under his weight, leaving nothing to keep him on the second floor. All Quinn could hear was the sick crunch of his landing.

"This is God's will," he said, gently gathering up his daughter in his arms. She tried to struggle but knew she was no match for him. It did force him to readjust his grip on her though, and she felt a wall tickle the soles of her feet. She prayed to every God she had ever heard of as she pushed off hard while at the same time pulling the knife from her chest.

The push was pathetic, one that could have easily been countered, but Russel wasn't expecting it. He overbalanced, taking a step back automatically, only to find the floor missing. They tumbled down the stairs in a tangle of limbs and body parts only to land hard on the floor below, Quinn landing under her father. She lost what little breath she had and coughed and sputtered as she tried to get air into her lungs. She spat out a mouthful of blood, hoping that would help, and pushed feebly on the weight over her chest. The weight refused to budge.

Quinn could feel the darkness coming and knew that nothing she did could keep it away this time. She reached out through a pool of blood, desperately searching for the hands that always gave her strength. When she found them, she latched on with the last of her will. She thought she heard someone calling her name, and desperately hoped that Finn managed to escape her father's wrath, when the darkness finally took her.


	42. Chapter 42

Warnings and disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Judy looked down at her lap and silently cursed herself. She was clutching the program so tightly it was almost being torn in two. She tried unclenching her fingers, but only made it worse. The paper crinkled loudly in church, echoing in her ears deafeningly. She looked around hastily, half expecting accusing stares focusing on her. Instead she saw people crying softly, lost in their grief. She refocused on her fingers, forcing herself to take deep breaths.

In. Out. In. Out. It wasn't working. Her pounding heartbeat soon drowned out the comforting murmur of the priest. She tried to desperately release the paper, but everything was getting drowned out.

"Judy?" She didn't look up at the voice until a hand was suddenly over hers. She followed the pale hand up an arm, not stopping until she saw a face.

"Emma," she said softly. She looked around, surprised to find themselves alone in the church. Somehow everyone had left while she was drowning. Emma looked at her, the sympathy plain to see.

"I'm always available if you need to talk," Emma offered, her hand gently closing around Judy's uncooperative one. Her fingers loosened Judy's grip until the paper finally fell out. Judy looked up, a forced smile of thanks on her face before she gasped. Her eyes blurred with tears for a moment, and she saw Emma in her white bridal gown. She blinked furiously for a few minutes and it morphed into her death shroud.

"I need to cry," she said suddenly. "Why can't I cry?" Emma was at a loss, but she forced herself to stay when Judy unexpectedly fell into her.

"Everyone grieves in their own way," she said as she held the other woman tightly. Judy shook her head.

"I don't need to grieve," she told her. "I need to feel. I haven't felt anything since Puck called. Not hate, pain, rage, relief. Nothing."

"Those are all signs of grieving," Emma said carefully. Judy pushed herself up.

"Where did everybody go?" she asked, looking around. Not even the coffin was with them anymore. Emma smiled sadly.

"The graveside," she said simply.

"I don't mean to keep you," Judy said. "I'm sure Will is wondering where you are?"

"I'm where I need to be," she said simply. "Will understands that. They all do." Judy nodded. She felt her eyes moisten, but the tears refused to fall.

"Why can't I cry?" she asked again, falling exhaustedly against the guidance counselor. "What do I do?" Emma held her desperately.

"I wish I could help you," she said sincerely, "but I'm well out of my league. I can barely help high school kids." Judy laughed.

"They always said you and Mr. Schue were the only people to try and help them." Emma smiled.

"Helping kids is easy. All you really need to do is listen and they'll usually figure things out on their own. But every so often they need more than I can give them. I'm smart enough to know when I'm in over my head."

"Are you over your head now?" Judy asked, straightening up to look her in the eye.

"Deeper than I've ever been," she admitted, "but also right where I want to be." She gave the red head a grateful smile. "I think it's time you considered seeing a professional therapist."

"I'll consider it," she conceded before standing stiffly. She let Emma guide her as she sank back into her daze. Emma led her to the grave site. She stood slightly to the side, watching the various groups around her. The glee kids were supporting each other through their grief, Rachel and Kurt holding onto each other like they were the only ones left in the room. Their families were behind them, wanting to help but lost in their own grief. Emma gave her hand a gentle squeeze before joining her husband.

Judy took a deep breath before heading over to the coffin. The graveside service had already concluded, but the coffin remained in place, waiting for the people to leave before it was lowered into the ground. She laid her shaking hand over the coffin. "Thank you Finn, for keeping her safe." She left the graveyard mechanically, her feet traveling the unfamiliar path to the hospital. The route to her room was much more familiar. Judy hadn't left since Quinn had been transferred back to Lima General.

"No change," Frannie said as she moved from the bedside, vacating the chair Judy had claimed as hers. "How was the funeral?"

"Hard," Judy admitted, sitting down and taking Quinn's hand in her own. Frannie nodded knowingly.

"I'm going to get us some lunch. You want anything in particular?" Judy shook her head.

"Whatever you bring is fine." Frannie frowned but nodded and left the room. Judy knew she was worried about her. They all were. Ever since Puck called and she rushed to the hospital in Cincinnati where Quinn was life flighted, she had been going on auto pilot.

She once wondered how Russel had managed to stay sane after Quinn's accident. Now she knew. He didn't. She had seen her daughter in several hospital beds since she had found her, but the sight of her broken, machines breathing for her while other machines made sure her heart pumped, had nearly been her undoing. It was tough, but she still managed to keep it together. For Quinn's sake.

Of course, she still had Rachel's support then. And Brittany and Kurt. And Shelby and Beth. She called Frannie as soon as Quinn was kidnapped and her eldest was racing her way home when Puck called. Brittany offered to stay and watch Beth while they waited for any news on Tobey. Kurt offered to stay and watch Brittany.

Judy barely remembered the drive down to Cincinnati. Puck had sounded terrified, and that scared the women more than anything else. Puck rarely got scared. If it wasn't for Rachel and Shelby, Judy didn't know how she would have ever made it down. She spent the entire ride trying to convince herself it wouldn't be that bad. Russel barely had her a day. There wasn't much he could do in that little amount of time. It wasn't until they arrived that she realized how wrong she was.

Puck was waiting for them in the waiting room. He was shaking and covered in blood. He explained that Santana and the rest were on their way, but it took time to pull the searchers back and organize transportation. He was only allowed on the life flight helicopter because he personally knew all three victims.

"Three?" Rachel asked, turning pale as she started her own descent into grief. It was then that the nightmare started falling into place. Puck broke down and cried, telling them what happened. Shelby turned and held Rachel, her first time comforting her daughter a mother, as she cried for her husband. When Judy saw the doctor, she discretely moved away to give them some privacy.

She listened as the doctor explained her daughter's condition in a daze, her mind taking in every other word. She was stabbed in the chest. The knife punctured her lung and nicked an artery. They performed emergency surgery and repaired the damage, though she lost a lot of blood and needed a respirator to breath. She also had some contusions and a concussion from a fall down a stair case. The doctor was extremely concerned about the head trauma and was keeping a close watch on her daughter, who had unfortunately not woken up yet. The doctor then led her to the ICU. As soon as she saw her daughter she almost lost it. She was hanging on by a thread, but she was determined to keep going. For Quinn's sake. It wasn't until Detective Franks entered the room and told her exactly what had happened that she lost it entirely.

It's a pretty fucked up situation when the best news the doctors had was her daughter was not pregnant after she was raped by her father. She was nearly catatonic by the time Fran arrived. Fran's eyes were red from crying and she knew her oldest knew. She sobbed while her oldest daughter clung to her, finally letting out the emotions that had been building since Russel took Quinn.

"You need to take a break," Fran told her twenty minutes later. "Eat something. Go take a shower. Or better yet, a nap." She shook her head.

"I can't," she stubbornly said. "I don't want her to be alone when she wakes up."

"She won't be," Frannie promised. It took several tries, but eventually Judy relented. She made her way to the lobby, intending to grab a quick bite in the cafeteria and return, when she realized everyone was waiting for her.

"How is she?" Santana asked desperately, the rest of the group that had volunteered to help search crowding in behind her. "They won't tell us anything."

"Stable," was all she could think of. "Did you hear about Finn?" Santana gulped before turning away so they wouldn't see her cry.

"We heard," Sue said, coming to the head of the group. "It's a shame." It was the first time Judy had ever heard Sue speak so honestly. The coach even had a few tears in her eyes.

"Rachel?" Judy asked. She hadn't seen the Diva since they heard the news.

"Shelby's taking care of her. Her fathers are on the way down, along with Finn's parents. They'll take care of her." Judy nodded before turning toward the cafeteria, surprised when Sue fell into step. "And I'm taking care of you." She mechanically ate whatever Sue put in front of her then retreated back to the room.

Since Quinn was still in the ICU, only family was allowed to visit. She and Frannie sat in uncomfortable silence waiting for Quinn to wake up. Except the opposite happened. The doctors were very careful to avoid the word coma when they were talking to Judy or Frannie, but they knew. They also knew the doctors thought her chances of making it were slim. Especially when she developed complications the next day. She picked up an infection, her body struggling to heal itself with resources she just didn't have. But Quinn was a fighter. She survived the first twelve hours, then the next twelve. By hour thirty-six she had stabilized again. She wasn't out of the woods by any means, but she wasn't worsening either. A few days later, the local police were ready to release the bodies and she had rallied enough to be transferred back to Lima.

Judy barely had enough time to make sure Quinn was settled before it was time for the funeral. Russel needed a funeral as well, but Judy could care less about him. She passed his arrangements on to her lawyer with only one stipulation. She didn't want to be buried anywhere near him. She didn't even want to know which cemetery he was in. Judy didn't want to leave her daughter, but she needed to see Finn one last time, to say goodbye to the man she considered a son. The man who had given so much for her family. She looked up when the door opened, expecting to find Fran coming back. She wasn't prepared to see Rachel standing there, looking more unsure than she ever had been.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," she said quietly. "I just needed to see her." Judy nodded, the young woman breaking through her daze.

"How are you doing honey?" She opened her arms and Rachel immediately moved into them.

"I miss him so much," she said, crying into her shirt. Judy held her tight while she cried. Eventually she calmed down. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, pulling out of her grasp. "I know I don't have exclusive rights to sympathy, especially not now." Judy stood there in silence.

The press had, of course, gotten a hold of the story and ran it continually the first few days. There were so many theories and speculations going around that it was hard to turn on the TV or radio without hearing about it. Aside from the police, Judy was the only one who knew the whole story and she had only shared the bare minimum with the others. But they had Puck and knew Finn. They heard enough to be able read between the lines. Though nobody ever directly confronted her, Judy knew they knew. Maybe not the whole story, but enough.

"There's more than enough sympathy to go around," she said, smiling at the younger girl. "We all deserve it. We all lost someone. We all miss him."

"He died a hero," she said, sniffling again. Judy reached inside her purse for the tissues she kept there. She handed one to Rachel silently. "Thanks," she said as she dabbed her eyes. "I think he was really starting to find himself," she said, suddenly smiling. "I asked him why he wanted to do physical therapy. I researched it and found it was almost as hard as becoming a doctor. He said he didn't just want to save people's lives. He wanted to help them live again." Judy smiled at her.

"That sounds like him," she said, briefly reminiscing about the boy she watched grow up before her eyes. Rachel nodded.

"If he had to die, I think he would prefer this way. Helping his friends out when they need him most. Helping them to live, not simply exist. I think he would have preferred this death over dying in a car accident or having a heart attack."

"I think he would prefer this death too," Judy told her, "though I really think he would have preferred life. Especially with you." Rachel nodded and dabbed her eyes again. "Are you sure you're okay dear? You shouldn't be alone right now."

"Neither should you," Rachel countered, "but my parents are in the lobby waiting. You?"

"Frannie's in the cafeteria, getting me something to eat." Rachel nodded.

"Good. You need to stay strong. She's going to need you when she wakes up."

"And you?" Judy asked.

"I'm going to break," Rachel admitted. "Just for a little while. Then when my family and friends put me back together, I'm going to go back to New York and live the life Finn always wanted me to have." Judy nodded approvingly.

"I'm sure he's very proud, wherever he is." Rachel nodded, wiping away her tears again. She turned to leave, stopping just shy of the door.

"I just want you to know," she started haltingly, "we're all here for you. Just in case you need to break too. Just for a little while."

"Thank you," she whispered as the Diva left the room. The door closing seemed to be the trigger she was waiting for as tears started pouring out of her eyes. When Fran returned ten minutes later, she was relieved to find her mother sobbing in the corner. The food was forgotten as they both took in the catharsis a good cry can give you. Judy cried herself to sleep that night in the hospital.

The next day she made the conscious decision to start living again, even if it was just for a few hours at a time. She made sure Frannie would stay with her sister. She still remembered Quinn's confession about hospitals from before and vowed never to let her wake up alone in one again.

She left the hospital and found herself at the Hudson-Hummel residence, where she was unsurprised to find Rachel and nearly all of the original New Directions. She bypassed that group though, heading directly for Finn's mother. She had to mourn with the woman before she lost the ability to feel again. She tried to be strong for Carol Hudson, offering her condolences politely and sincerely, but she found herself breaking once more. They held each other as they sobbed, sharing a pain that only a mother losing their child can understand.

Eventually others came and shared their pain, lifting the burden until they could carry it again. Judy recognized most of the people, mainly Finn's friends from glee club, and Judy truly understood what Rachel meant. She left feeling lighter than before. Even Frannie could tell the difference. She smiled at her mother as she read out loud to Quinn, something she figured out was a favorite of her sister's when she visited and silently prayed for both of them to survive.


	43. Chapter 43

Warnings and disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

After her breakdown with Carol Hudson, Judy could sense things changing for the better. She was right. Two days later the ventilator was removed. The next day Quinn woke up. Judy was in the chair next to her bed, reading when she noticed Quinn's fingers curling around her hand. She immediately put the book down, focusing on their entwined hands before shifting to her face.

"Quinnie? Can you hear me?" Her eyes shifted back and forth, eyelids struggling to open. "Come on Quinn. You can do it. Open your eyes for me." Another minute of encouraging and Judy saw the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.

"Mom?" Her voice was weak and raspy but it was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard.

"I'm here baby," she said, pushing the call button as she poured some water. She lifted her head and brought the straw to Quinn's lips. Quinn took a few sips before falling back, exhausted.

"I remember," Quinn said softly. Judy closed her eyes tightly, willing the tears back.

"I wish you didn't," she said honestly. Quinn shook her head.

"I remember everything," she said weakly before sleep took her away again. The doctors and nurses rushed in just as Quinn's eyes closed again. Judy stepped out of the way while the doctors examined her. They happily pronounced that she was resting peacefully now. Frannie cried when she heard the news, but the doctors had even more good news for them. Quinn's infection had stabilized and they prepared to transfer her out of ICU the next morning, which meant everyone could visit. Judy called Rachel and told her the good news, knowing she would spread the word to everyone. She was so excited it took her a minute to realize her daughter was awake again.

"Hey," she said when she noticed Quinn's hazel eyes open. "I am so happy to see you again." She took her daughter's hand tightly between hers. "I was so scared."

"Me too," Quinn admitted, wiping her eyes furiously when they started tearing up.

"Everyone's been asking about you," Judy told her, trying to break up the silence. "They all wanted to come see you, but the doctors are keeping everyone out. I had to vouch for Frannie to convince them she was your sister. I almost thought I would need to pull out her birth certificate." Judy laughed at her joke, but Quinn remained silent. "They're going to move you to a regular room tomorrow. Santana and Rachel are already fighting over who gets to see you first." Quinn's eyes filled at Rachel's name. Judy knew she was thinking of Finn and tried to bring up another subject, but Quinn beat her to it.

"I want to be alone now," she said in a hollow voice.

"Quinn," Judy started, but Quinn turned her head, a clear sign of dismissal. Judy sighed. The old her would have loved this, the clear exit from a most uncomfortable situation. She was disappointed with herself that she almost took it, but she had grown up during this whole situation as much as her daughter did. Instead of running she took her daughter's hand.

"I know this is hard on you," she started, "and I wish more than anything that this was a nightmare. That I could wake you up and give you a kiss and have everything be better in the morning. But it's not." She stopped, squeezing her daughter's hand tightly, though it remained limp beneath her. "I am not going anywhere. I am finally going to be the mother you deserve and I will help you every step of the way. I understand sometimes you need to be alone, so I'll give you your space right now, but I'll be back tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that." Quinn remained motionless so Judy leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before leaving for the day.

She didn't go far though. She watched her daughter for over an hour from the hallway until Quinn had finally broken down and cried herself to sleep. She went out and got some real food instead of the stuff they had at the cafeteria. When she returned two hours later she took up position in the hall again, watching over her daughter the only way she could now. When Frannie came they both took up their hallway vigil.

The next morning the doctors moved her. Her mother, true to her word, was holding Quinn's hand when she opened her eyes. She was reading out loud and the only indication that she knew Quinn was even awake was a quick squeeze of her hand. Quinn didn't return it and spent the hours staring at the ceiling while her mother read until it was time to move. Only then did Judy release her hand. "I'll be back soon, sweetie," she promised, kissing her cheek as the nurses hovered in the background.

Judy went to the lobby while they moved her. She was unprepared for the number of people she saw there. Rachel. Santana and Brittany. Kurt and Blaine. Puck. Mercedes, Sam, and Artie. Tina and Mike. Will and Emma. Beth and Shelby. Even Sue. All waiting patiently, or as patiently as possible in Santana's case, for the chance to see their friend.

"Judy?" Rachel was the first one to see Judy. All talk instantly stopped as every eye was on her.

"They're moving her now," Judy answered.

"Does she remember what happened?" Rachel asked. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. Looking around Judy saw her eyes weren't the only ones.

"She said she remembers everything," Judy told them.

"Everything?" Santana asked in barely controlled rage. "What more did that piece of mother fucking shit do to her?" Judy could only shake her head.

"She hasn't been very talkative since she woke up," she explained. "I think she's depressed. The hospital therapist went and talked with her for about an hour yesterday. She never said a word while he was there."

"She doesn't trust him," Rachel said knowingly. Judy nodded, thinking along those same lines. "How long does she have to stay here?"

"Assuming she has no other complications, the doctors are estimating another week."

"Is she going to come back to New York with us?" Beth asked quietly. Judy knelt down next to her granddaughter.

"I don't know sweetie," she said honestly. "We haven't really discussed anything yet." Just then the nurse came into the waiting room.

"She's all settled," she said, smiling brightly at them. Judy nodded, thanking the nurse.

"Let me go see her first," Judy said. She followed the nurse to her new room, but Quinn was still staring at the ceiling. "Quinnie?" she called, reaching out for her hand. "You have some visitors."

"I don't want to see them," Quinn said, never breaking her staring contest with the ceiling. "I don't want to see anyone. I don't even want to see you."

"But Quinn," Judy started, not really sure how to respond to her daughter. Quinn's words weren't spoken with hatred or malice. They were spoken with no emotion at all. "They've come an awful long way to see you."

"New York and California," Quinn whispered, more to herself than anyone else. "And Mercedes was on tour."

"Right," Judy agreed. "They came from all over." Quinn shook her head.

"They came for Mr. Schue. I'm just an afterthought."

"Quinn," Judy started, but before she could finish her thought they heard a small voice behind them.

"Grandma?" Judy was about ready to turn behind her when Quinn's reaction caught her attention.

"Beth?" Quinn gasped, sitting up in the bed as much as she could before the pain made her collapse. She cried out in pain, holding her injured side tenderly.

"Quinn?" Beth gasped, running into the hospital room at the same time Judy reacted. She reached Judy's legs then stopped, holding onto her grandmother like a shield. Meanwhile Judy hit the call button before stroking her daughter's hair soothingly.

"It's okay baby," she whispered as she soothed her daughter the best she could. The nurse came in and knew immediately what happened. She quickly administered a pain killer, waiting a few minutes until Quinn started calming down before she left again. "Let's try this again," Judy said, grabbing the controls for the bed and raising the head enough for Quinn to be upright.

"Beth?" Quinn asked, holding her arms out as best she could. Beth hesitantly approached.

"I don't want to hurt you," she said carefully. Quinn cried.

"You could never hurt me. I love you so much baby." Beth gingerly crawled onto the bed, snuggling with her mother. "My baby. My beautiful baby girl." Beth let herself be held, molding to the contours of Quinn's body, but Judy stood up in shock.

"Quinn," she asked haltingly, "when you said you remembered everything, what do you mean exactly?"

"I remember everything," Quinn said slowly, "after the accident and before." Judy nearly fainted.

"Mommy Quinn?" Beth asked hesitantly. Quinn cried.

"Yes baby?" she asked through her tears.

"Will you promise me you will never go away again?" Quinn closed her eyes tightly, hugging the girl closer to her, but she stayed silent.

"Mom?" she asked after a few minutes. "Can you get everyone please?" Judy nodded dumbly. She mechanically walked back to the waiting room, just in time to hear Shelby asking about Beth. The group was starting to panic when they realized the little girl was not coloring where they left her.

"She's fine," Judy assured them. "She's with Quinn."

"What?" Shelby asked, annoyed until she saw Judy's face. "Are you okay?"

"She remembers," Judy said strangely.

"We already know that," Santana commented. Judy shook her head.

"She remembers from before." They were all quiet as they absorbed the news.

"Shit!" Santana summed up the situation brilliantly.

"She wants to see everyone." They all nodded, walking quietly to her room. Quinn and Beth were talking quietly as they piled into the double room, grateful that Quinn didn't have a roommate right now. "Quinn?" Judy said once everyone was in. Quinn and Beth stopped talking immediately. Quinn's face instantly blanked of all emotion.

"Thanks," she said mechanically before taking a deep breath. "I have something I need to say to you all. It's going to hurt a lot and I only want to say it once." She stopped, breathing deeply. Whether that was to keep the tears at bay or keep calm long enough to say what she wanted, they were unsure. "First of all, I want to say thank you. To you all, but especially to the New York group. Russel," she winced, her hand hovering protectively over her side but she forced herself to continue. "Russel had me convinced that I would never be able to live again. At least not the way I wanted to. But then you found me, rescued me even before I knew I was in trouble, and showed me that I can still be and do anything I want. I can never repay you enough, which is why what I'm going to say will be so tough."

"Quinn?" Brittany asked, reaching out a hand and putting it on her shoulder in support. "You can tell us anything."

"I need you to leave." Silence followed.

"Anything except that," Santana scoffed, getting to her feet. Quinn sighed.

"San, please just hear me out." The Latina sat back down. "Do you remember when Mr. Schue sat us all down and asked us where we wanted to be in ten years? Where he challenged us to think of something positive for our future?"

"Yes," the Latina whispered. Hearing anyone else bring up the old Glee assignments might have made her roll her eyes and tune out, but hearing Quinn talk about it brought tears to her eyes. It was one of the last meetings they had before Regionals. Before Rachel and Finn's wedding. Before the crash that stole Quinn.

"I had everything planned out back then. Going to Yale, graduating top of my class, getting out of here and never looking back." She paused. "So much has happened to that naïve girl. I was literally reformed in my father's image, then I found my true family. Now I've found my true past. It feels like there's three of me, each trying to pull me in a different direction. I can't be the past me, or Russel's me, or even New York me. I need to find me again, figure out who I am before I can move on with my life. And I need to do it on my own. I need to go somewhere where I can just be me. And I need you to promise that you won't try to find me." The group was quiet.

"Fine," Mercedes was the first one to break the silence. "You need to find yourself. I get that. But I can't let you fade away completely. Seven years girl. Without any word. Not that that was your fault, but I cannot live like that again. So I'll tell you what girlfriend. You can go away to Timbuktu to find yourself for all I care, but you keep us in the loop or I will personally go to Timbuktu and drag your ass home. Letters, at the very least."

"Letters?" Quinn asked, dumbfounded by the idea.

"Of course," Kurt added. "And we're not asking for ground breaking, philosophical stuff. Just something that lets us know you're still alive. Even if it's just you watching the grass grow. Metaphorically speaking." Quinn smiled.

"Letters," she said again, sounding surer of herself. "I think I could do that. Of course, I can't guarantee any sort of timetable."

"Anything is better than what we had," Artie said, rolling forward and holding her hand. "And remember, if you ever need us."

"Thank you," she said, tears forming in her eyes. It was more than she was hoping for. Artie gave her a hug, prompting Mercedes, Sam, Tina, and Mike to follow, before they left the room. Quinn turned to where the New York group was. She opened her mouth, but Santana beat her to it.

"Don't you dare say fucking goodbye," she said, tears in her eyes. "We just lost Finn. We can't lose you too."

"I don't want to go, but…"

"You need to," Santana interrupted. "I get it. Just promise me you'll be back."

"I promise," she said, giving the Latina a huge hug. Brittany came in and joined. "Keep everyone safe San. Brit, keep everyone happy." They both nodded before they left the room. Kurt and Blaine came up next. "I can't thank you guys enough. You showed me how to love again."

"You take care Quinn," Kurt said, teary eyed. "And I'm calling makeover rights right now, whenever you're ready."

"Don't take too long finding yourself," Blaine added.

"I hope not," she said, hugging them both tightly. "You take care of them." They nodded and left. Quinn turned to Rachel.

"I am so sorry," she said, pulling the other girl tightly to her. Rachel didn't say anything and for a minute they both cried, holding each other. Eventually Rachel pulled away.

"Do what you need to do Quinn," she told her. "I'll be waiting for you when you're ready." Rachel sniffed once and left.

"Quinn?" Beth's voice called out quietly. Quinn reached to her side, where the little girl stayed during the various farewells. "Are you leaving because you don't love me? Did I do something wrong?"

"No baby," Quinn quickly reassured her. "Do you remember when we were talking about what we wanted to be when we grew up?" Beth nodded.

"You said you wanted to be normal," she said. Quinn nodded.

"I did, but I don't want to be normal now. I want to be special. I want to be special for you. I just don't know how to do that yet." She hugged the girl tightly. "Do you know why I gave you up?"

"Mom said it was because you weren't old enough to be a mom yet."

"It was the hardest decision I ever made," Quinn admitted, "but it was the right one. I wasn't ready then. I was getting my life together so you would be proud of me, then this happened and I'm even more messed up now than I was then. So I'm now making the second hardest decision ever. I need to go, figure out who I am so I can be someone you're proud of."

"I am proud of you," Beth said, crying slightly. "But you'll write? And call? And come down for my birthday and Christmas?"

"We'll figure something out," she said, hugging the girl tightly.

"Please don't forget me," she whispered. Quinn held her tighter.

"I don't know how I ever did," she said.

"Beth," Shelby said, reaching for her daughter. Quinn caught her hand.

"Shelby, thank you for taking care of her," she said sincerely.

"My pleasure," she told her. "Now you just take care of yourself and hurry back to us." Quinn nodded, releasing her daughter. Beth climbed off the bed and collapsed into Shelby. They walked out of the hospital room, crying softly.

"Hey," Puck said, taking Beth's spot on the bed.

"We did right by her, didn't we?" Quinn asked.

"We did," Puck confirmed. He took Quinn's hand and held it gently. She quickly pulled it back.

"I don't think I'm ready for that," she apologized. "But maybe we could start as friends?" He smiled.

"Friends are worth the wait," he said, hugging the girl tightly. He kissed her cheek, trying to hide how much it hurt when she stiffened, and quickly left.

"Mom?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes Quinnie?" Judy said, half scared she would send her away too. Seeing her say goodbye to the group was one of the saddest things she had ever witnessed.

"I need to do this on my own," she started, "but I also know I can't. At least not yet. Will you help me?"

"You never need to ask me that," she said, sliding onto the bed and holding her daughter close as she cried. They held each other as they cried for the lives Russel had stolen.


	44. Chapter 44

AN: So ends my epic tale. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hope I was able to remain true to the Glee universe.

I would also like to thank everyone for reading, and a special thank you to everyone who reviewed. You guys made my day.

Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Epilogue- 3 years later

Rachel smiled sadly as she looked at the picture. This was the first time she had returned since the funeral, and the only reason she was back was for her ten-year class reunion. Santana threatened to kidnap her and tie her up in the trunk and drive here if she refused to go. She took that threat seriously, totally believing the Latina would follow through with her threat, so she took some time off for her reunion. The first break she had taken in the last three years.

Her eyes watered but she was able to keep the tears from falling as Finn's goofy smile beamed back at her. She thought back to standing at this wall five years ago. Five years ago, there was only one picture. Quinn. Now Quinn's picture was down. But the cost was so high. Too high.

"Hey," Kurt said as he joined her at the Wall of Remembrance. "You check in yet?"

"Yeah," she said. Kurt followed her eyes, smiling slightly.

"I forgot how endearingly goofy he could look when he wanted to," he said conversationally. "Have you been to the cemetery?"

"Yesterday," she answered back. "I had so much to tell him." So much had changed since she last had been in Lima. Finn's death had hit her hard. She stayed behind after the rest returned home, just trying to survive without him. She was worried her director would need her to come back, or recast her character completely, but they were having technical difficulties back in New York and he gave her his blessing to stay as long as she needed.

She ended up staying an extra month before she felt she was ready to say goodbye to her husband. She had tremendous support from her family, and Finn's family, but the real reason she was reluctant to leave was her hope to see a familiar blonde head around town. True to her word, she didn't seek out Quinn, letting her have the space she needed, but she couldn't leave if there was any chance the blonde would need her.

It wasn't until she broke down and asked Judy that Rachel finally went home. Quinn was gone. She was released two weeks before, and arranged to be recuperate at a rehab hospital. Quinn had asked her mother not to disclose which one. All Judy could tell her was she was gone. That was all she needed to return home.

But home wasn't what it was cracked up to be. Everything in their apartment reminded her of Finn. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. One morning she called a meeting with Brittany and Santana, explaining how she couldn't live there anymore. Santana smiled at her.

"About time," the Latina said, opening her laptop. Rachel could see that several listings were already loaded. "Me and Brit have been wanting to get our own place for a while now. But then Quinn came, and we couldn't abandon her. Then Finn died and we couldn't abandon you. If you're ready to move on so are we." Rachel cried and hugged them, finally able to find some peace in the big city. The apartment hunting started the next day, and by the end of the month they each had found something. Kurt and Blaine helped them decorate, and after two house warming parties, Rachel found herself in her own place. Nobody commented on the fact that her apartment had two extra bedrooms, was fully accessible, and pet friendly. The best part was she got an awesome house warming gift. A letter.

An email actually, but Rachel wasn't going to be picky at this point. She printed it out and read it over and over. Quinn told her that she was doing really well. She heard from her mother about her new place and wanted to congratulate her. She hoped one day she could see it. That was all Rachel needed to hear to know she would never leave. She replied immediately, but it was still another two months before Quinn answered back.

Sometimes Quinn would write back in a few weeks, sometimes it took her months. She learned she still maintained regular contact with her mother, and called Beth from time to time. She even visited the young girl once, having mother daughter day where they spent the whole day together. Rachel was almost jealous of the girl, until she spotted the blonde at one of her shows. She didn't stay long enough for the Diva to catch her, but she still showed. Blaine told her she had been to his show too, and then Mercedes and Santana, who were touring together, said the same thing. She never stayed long enough to see them, but she did support them. It was enough, for now.

"Alright bitches," Santana shrieked, coming up behind them and pulling them away from the wall. "It's time to get this party started."

"Do you mind Satan," Kurt said, pulling out of her grasp. "We were paying our respects."

"Whatever," Santana turned to the wall. Finn's picture wasn't the only one up there, like Quinn's was the time before. His was joined by three other faces. Four people who would not be coming this year. "Respect." Santana turned, dragging them away and back towards their friends. She dragged them over to a corner Mike had already claimed as theirs. Mercedes was already there, waiting for them.

"Hey!" Mercedes excitedly greeted them. It had been too long since the group last got together. "I hear congratulations are in order, Ms. Tony nominee." Rachel blushed.

"I don't think I'll win. The competition is just too good," she said, being uncharacteristically humble, "but just being nominated is a huge honor. I didn't expect anything like this for another three years. Of course, by then my success will ensure a win."

"There's the Diva we all know and loathe," Kurt said, even as he smiled at her. She smiled back. "So, Mercedes, how was the tour?"

"It was amazing," she answered. "Didn't Santana tell you all about it?"

"She did," he admitted, "but I wanted an unbiased opinion." Santana smacked him in the shoulder, but Mercedes smiled and told them all about it. Then Mike told them all about his tour. He had joined a Riverdance group, which was as dorky as they thought it would be, but he was loving it. They had just finished their U.S. tour and were gearing up to take the show internationally. The best part was he got to choreograph as well as dance. He was super excited.

"Look at you guys."

"Mr. Schue?" they all shouted at the same time. They all turned to see their old teacher beaming at them. They rushed over and nearly tackled him with their hugs.

"Whoa," he said, taking a step back before he did fall.

"Who's this?" Kurt asked, seeing the toddler clutching his leg. "Is this Daniel? He's grown so much."

"That's what they do," Mr. Schue said, coaxing his son out from behind him. "Hey, where's Puck?"

"Right behind you," Puck said, reaching down and ruffling Danny's hair. "Should've known you'd pick the spot closest to the stage." Danny smiled and jumped into Puck's arms.

"Like you won't be on it sometime tonight too," Santana scoffed before turning to Mr. Schue. "Don't tell me you're letting manwhore raise your child." Puck looked down at Danny, making a funny face.

"Are you offended by that?" he asked. Danny laughed. "I thought so."

"Puck's actually really good with him," Mr. Schue said, taking his son back. "And good babysitters are hard to find. Even in Lima." He put him back on the ground, where he retreated behind his father's legs again.

"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked as she knelt down to the little boy, making silly faces. He finally smiled at them, though he hid behind his father's legs the whole time. "No offense, but I thought this party was just for the senior class. Friends and family start tomorrow."

"I know," he admitted, "but I just wanted to tell you guys some news and I couldn't wait. And I wanted to see your faces."

"Speaking of news," Kurt broke in, "when are we getting the bi-annual wedding invitations again? I was expecting one over the summer."

"Don't tell me Ms. Pillsbury is finally realizing she made a mistake," Santana told him.

"Of course not," he rolled her eyes at her. "In fact, we're expecting again."

"What?" Mercedes asked while Kurt shrieked. Mr. Schue smiled.

"You've got to let me plan the baby shower," Kurt demanded.

"It's a little too late for that guys," Mr. Schue told them. "She's due in a couple months. She's actually not feeling well tonight or she would be here with me. She asked me to take our son and give her some peace and quiet."

"She's having twins," Puck added smugly, "and is really hormonal right now. A week ago, she started crying because a leaf fell."

"And you didn't tell us?" Rachel demanded.

"We were going to," he told them, picking up his son and holding him like a shield. "But this isn't something we wanted to tell you over the phone. We were going to have our wedding during the summer and tell all of you. But something came up."

"What?" Rachel narrowed her eyes and looked at Puck. He shrugged.

"I don't know," he admitted. "He wouldn't tell me. All I know is he and Ms. Pillsbury started spending a lot of time out of town. I asked, or course, but he said it was a secret."

"What?" Santana narrowed her eyes dangerously, but Mr. Schue just smiled. Rachel was about to join in when she heard something. The all too familiar click of nails on hard floor.

"Tobey?" she whispered, looking around the crowded room. She dropped to her knees when she spotted the furry body running toward her. He ran right into their group, giving sloppy kisses to everybody he could. "That means." She stood up in a daze, scanning the room again until she caught sight of the blonde head slowly making their way toward them. Walking. "Quinn."

She would have fallen if Mike wasn't there holding her up. Santana and Kurt were clutching each other, tears streaming down their faces, while Mercedes stood in shock. They watched her slowly approach, walking slowly with the help of a cane and another dog positioned at her side. She looked down at Tobey. His blue service animal vest was looking faded and it didn't quite fit him right anymore.

"Bitch!" Santana cried when Quinn finally joined their group. She pulled Quinn tight, nearly knocking her off her feet but hanging on tightly. "You made my mascara run."

"And what are you wearing?" Kurt asked. "Only you can make mix and match look good."

"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked, reaching out to touch the blonde but afraid she would just disappear if she did. Quinn smiled.

"Did you guys know I was actually only one credit shy of my high school diploma when I had my accident? It was a bit of a shock when I found out too. Apparently, I was a bit of a nerd during summer break and did a lot of summer programs. I could've skipped half my senior year and still graduated. Which is good, since that's what happened."

"Are you saying?" Mike asked.

"Nathan was really excited," Quinn continued. "He petitioned the school board to give me my diploma instead of the GED, but they were reluctant. Until one of my old teachers stepped up and said he was perfectly fine changing my incomplete to a passing grade."

"Mr. Schue!" Rachel shrieked nearly as loud as Kurt and gave him a big hug.

"The school board really wasn't happy about that. They said Glee Club didn't count as a core subject, which was where I was missing my credit. They nearly fainted when they found out he was my history teacher too, which did count as a core subject. Then they tried to say there was no proof I was going to pass, but he had all my old papers. Test scores and homework and the class curriculum. Everything we needed."

"Emma made me keep it," he told them, "just in case it was ever needed. The school board wasn't very happy. Even if I gave her a zero for everything, including the final exam, she would have still earned a D in my class. It was all in writing too, so they couldn't say I was being emotionally driven like they tried at first."

"It eventually went to a hearing. If you think Mr. Schue is protective of his students, you should hear Ms. Pillsbury. She yelled at them so much I think one of them had a heart attack. Then when she was done, Coach Sue started in on them. Eventually we reached a compromise everyone could agree with. If I passed my GED test, I would get my diploma."

"And?" Mike questioned. Quinn smiled.

"As of last month, I am officially a high school graduate."

"Congratulations," they all shouted as another round of hugs began. They all laughed when Tobey started growling at Puck when he hugged her.

"Ah c'mon man," Puck told the dog as soon as he let go. Tobey stopped growling and licked his hand.

"As protective as ever I see," Mercedes added as they all found their seats again. Mr. Schue excused himself, leaving the group to their catching up. "So, what have you been up to girl? And who is this cutie?"

"This is Suzy," Quinn introduced the golden retriever sitting quietly by her side. "She's my seeing eye dog." They all knew that. The blue service vest gave her away.

"What about Tobey?" Santana asked, scratching him behind the ears the way he liked.

"You could say he's retired," Quinn said. "Suzy's a bit jealous of him right now, because he's wearing his vest but not working so he gets to play and she can't. He was so excited to hear everyone here, he barely stood still long enough for me to put it on him. He normally doesn't even wear it anymore, but that Nazi at the door refused to let him in without it."

"Why is he retired?" Puck asked, stroking his back when he came to him. He had been going from person to person greeting them.

"Russel hurt him bad," Quinn said, her face going dark at the thought. "He almost died. He almost lost a leg. But he pulled through."

"He's strong," Rachel said. "Just like you." Quinn smiled shyly.

"It was nice having someone to recover with," she told them. "Anyway, he can't walk much anymore. He gets tired to easily, then he limps, then he has trouble breathing. Freaked me out the first time he couldn't breathe. In fact, I'll probably have to call Nathan to come pick him up and carry him to the car. There's no way that I can do it."

"No you won't," Puck said. "Not with the Puckster here. I can easily carry him."

"I still need someone to take me home," she protested. "I didn't want to inconvenience any of you. I know you must hate me after I abandoned you like that."

"Abandoned?" Kurt asked. "I think the more correct term would be stalked. Don't think we didn't know about you showing up at all their shows. And my fashion show last week." Quinn smiled.

"I couldn't just forget about you, even if I couldn't see you."

"We understand girl," Mercedes reassured her. "Now tell us what you've been up to. Where are you living? Do you remember everything now?" Quinn laughed.

"I remember most things, but there are still big gaps in my memory, both before and after the accident. I can remember getting ready for Satan's fifteenth birthday party. The Quinceanera is a big deal in Latin culture."

"Damn right it is," Santana cut in.

"I remember me, Brit, and San getting ready for it. It was going to be our practice for the prom. But I don't actually remember the party. I remember singing with Sam at one of our competitions, but I don't remember where we finished. What's really weird is remembering things that I forgot after the accident. I would have whole weeks suddenly come back to me that I didn't even know I forgot."

"Weird," Mike said. Quinn nodded.

"Anyway, I'm living just outside of Boston right now," Quinn told them. "They have an amazing rehab facility there, plus it was close enough to home to go through all that with the school board without making it too much of an ordeal for me."

"Alone?" Kurt asked. She shook her head.

"I have a roommate," she told them. "Nathan. He transferred to Northwestern to finish up his law degree while I finished rehab. He takes care of the day to day things, kind of like you guys did. But things are changing and I think I'm ready to get my own place." Rachel raised an eyebrow at that.

"Sure you are," Santana scoffed. Quinn just smiled. "So, what does a crip like you do for a living?"

"I'm thinking about starting a school," Quinn said. "Well, funding a school anyway. A school for special needs kids. And not just a place where they can be kept while mom and dad are at work. A place where they can learn to live, not just exist. I was thinking of naming it after Coach Sue's sister. I swear she nearly cried when I told her. And an after school youth center in honor of Finn."

"Wow," Mike said. "That's pretty cool. I'll help in any way I can."

"Me too," Santana told her. "I can do a benefit concert or something. It's got to be expensive starting something like that." Quinn shrugged.

"We've only started looking into it. Nathan loved the idea as much as I do. He's going to be my business partner in all this, taking care of all the legal stuff. But we should be fine for funding, at least for the startup and a few years."

"How?" Puck asked. "I have a hard enough time keeping my pool cleaning business afloat. How can you afford a school?" Quinn looked down at her lap.

"I was the sole beneficiary for Russel's entire estate," she said slowly, so softly that they needed to strain to hear her. They paled when they realized what she said. She looked up when they gasped. "It was a shock to me when I found out, especially since he tried to save my soul by killing me. Mom thinks he made his will before he went crazy, which is kind of nice because that means he really did love me at one time." Nobody knew what to say to that so they all remained quiet.

"I didn't want anything to do with it. I tried to give it to mom and Frannie, but they refused. Mom reminded me how hard it would be to support myself and convinced me to take it, just as a backup. I set up college funds for Beth and Frannie's kids, and Nathan helped set up a trust for me, but there's still so much left over and I wanted to give back. After our experience with the school board, we both wanted to help special needs kids have an easier time."

"That seems like a very noble cause," Rachel told her. "I'll help in any way I can."

"Thank you," Quinn said before turning the discussion back to the group. "So, Mike. Are you excited to take the tour internationally?"

"Yeah," he said and started telling them the ideas he had for the international show. Mercedes followed him, followed by Kurt, then Santana, Puck, and Rachel. By the time everyone was done it was getting late. Their table was the only one that was still full.

"I should call Nathan," Quinn said. "He can come get me and Tobey."

"Don't bother," Puck said. "I have my car. I can easily take him home. Just tell me where."

"Mom's house. I'm staying with her this weekend." Puck nodded and picked up Tobey. The dog licked his face in appreciation.

"Looks like you two have made up," Santana said, laughing at the sight. She gathered up her things. "I can give you a ride if you don't want to go with the delinquent."

"Actually, I wanted to walk around town a bit, see if that will help any more memories come back."

"Do you want any company?" Rachel asked, "not that I think you need the help. Unless you would prefer to be alone."

"Rachel," Quinn interrupted her. "I would love some company." Rachel nodded, smiling. Kurt moved in to hug her.

"Tomorrow we are doing a makeover. I mean, who are you wearing right now? Did Nathan pick this out? He has as much fashion sense as Puck."

"I'm strictly an off the rack kind of girl now," she told him. "Simplicity is my new best friend. It's not like I can see it anyway." Kurt cringed.

"But we can," he protested. Quinn laughed.

"Well there is one designer I can see myself wearing," she admitted, "but he's almost impossible to get unless you're a big name. He'd never stoop low enough for a lowly blind girl."

"Does he like a challenge?" She nodded. "Maybe my people can talk to his people." Everyone laughed at the joke before Kurt turned serious. "I've been thinking of marketing a line geared toward the common folk. Maybe you can be a guinea pig."

"Jerk," she said affectionately, slapping him playfully. "Remember don't tell the other's. I want to surprise them."

"Speaking of surprised," Santana spoke up. "Me and Brit have officially gotten engaged." This led to another round of hugging. "We wanted it to be a surprise announcement tomorrow, so act surprised when she tells you. Though, she might forget once she sees our girl finally came back home."

"When is the wedding?" Kurt asked, already planning the shower in his mind. "You've got to let me do the dresses."

"We haven't set a date yet," she told them. "We were waiting for Quinn to come to her senses cause we sure as hell ain't walking down the aisle without her there. And of course, you can do the dresses. It can be your wedding present to us." He squealed with glee. "Of course, you might not be invited Q. Your track record with weddings isn't that great."

"Hey," she said indignantly. "I'll have you know I have successfully attended one wedding since then. And just because there was a massive thunderstorm with several blackouts that day does not automatically mean it was my fault."

"I rest my case," Santana said, hugging the girl tightly. "You still might have to crash." The table quieted instantly and Santana looked horrified at what she just said.

"It's what I do best," Quinn said tightly, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Well I hate to run, but he is starting to get heavy," Puck said. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Absolutely," Quinn reassured him. With that the group broke up, everyone going their own way. Except for Quinn, who was getting Suzy ready, and Rachel, who was watching her intently.

"Are you sure you're okay with me coming?" Rachel asked when Quinn finally got to her feet.

"Rachel," Quinn protested. Rachel shut up, watching as Quinn slowly made her way to the door. Rachel ran ahead to hold the door for her.

"Can I help?" she asked.

"If you don't mind being a human crutch," Quinn answered once they were outside in the crisp air. Rachel nodded, heading to Quinn's left side. She took the cane in her left hand as she held Quinn's left hand tightly, her arm under Quinn's to help support her in case she stumbled.

"Where do you want to go?" Rachel asked. Quinn shrugged.

"How about the park?" she suggested. "It's not too cold and from what I remember the park is just a couple blocks down." Rachel nodded and headed that way, slowing down considerably to match Quinn's pace.

"A cane?" she asked, trying to fill the silence with any conversation, afraid Quinn would hear her heart beating far faster than it should be. Quinn nodded.

"My left side has always been weaker. The doctor's think there's nerve damage. They were amazed that I'm able to walk at all, even if I need a cane."

"Is it going to get any better?" Rachel asked, thinking of how far Quinn had already come.

"They don't think so," Quinn admitted. "My PT just focuses on strengthening my muscles now. She thinks I might get a bit more out of therapy, but I've pretty much peaked. Not that I'm complaining. A cane is much better than a chair. And most days I don't need the cane if I stay around the house. It's mainly for going out."

"Going out," Rachel muttered as they arrived at the park. She spotted a bench and carefully lowered Quinn into it, Suzy laying down at her feet. They sat there in silence.

"Rachel," Quinn started.

"You know," Rachel interrupted her, "I had a very interesting conversation with Judy before the wedding. Before... you know."

"I know," Quinn answered softly, looking down in shame.

"At first I wasn't sure what she meant," Rachel admitted. "Then Finn died and I felt like I wanted to die too. Did you know I waited an extra month before I went back?" Quinn nodded. "Of course, you did. You were checking up on me, even though I couldn't check up on you. Because you love me."

"I'm sorry," she said, looking toward the Diva. "I needed time."

"I understand," Rachel assured her, "but I learned something about myself during that time too. I thought I couldn't move on because of Finn, but it was because of you." Quinn looked up hopefully. "I can't move on because I've already fallen for you Quinn Fabray. I just need to know if you've fallen for me too."

"I think so," she smiled, then frowned. "But you deserve someone better than me. Someone who can love you. I don't even know what love is."

"Then let me help you." Rachel leaned in for a kiss, but Quinn pulled back. She shook her head.

"I have scars," she stated self depreciatingly. "I'm ugly. I still forget things and still have trouble understanding. You deserve better."

"Quinn," Rachel said gently. "You are the most beautiful girl I have ever met. The scars just tell me you're the toughest too." She raised their entwined hands to her mouth, kissing the back of her hand gently. Quinn tensed but didn't pull away.

"I'm messed up Rach," Quinn admitted, tears in her eyes. "He messed me up so badly, and that was before the accident. After what he did to try and save my soul, I can't even think of being intimate with someone without freezing up in terror." She closed her eyes, her body trembling as Rachel watched helplessly as everything replayed in her mind. Finally, she looked up again. "I'm seeing a shrink and working on it, but I'll never be able to give you what you deserve."

"What I deserve," Rachel told her quietly, "is an incredibly amazing person who makes me happy. We can take it slowly, move as fast or as slow as you need to go. And if we never have sex, I can accept that. What I can't accept is not even trying."

"What if we try and it falls apart?" Quinn asked, still shaking slightly. "I don't think I could live if you weren't in my life."

"I'll always be in your life, even if it's just as friends. I don't know if you remember this, but I'm a very loving person. Granted, I don't have many exes, but I have managed to stay friends with Noah. And I'm able to be professional and work with the various people from New York who have asked me out since Finn. I doubt you'll be any different. After all, we were sort of friends, even while you were being so mean to me. Although I'm starting to understand that behavior more now."

"Rachel," Quinn cut her off. Rachel smirked.

"Quinn Fabray, will you do me the honor of going out with me on a date? I promise if it doesn't work I will not shun you all your life." Quinn still looked unsure.

"I'm not even sure about what I'm feeling," she said. "What if this is just…" she trailed off, looking for the word.

"An experiment?" Rachel supplied. Quinn nodded. "You think I'm sure about this?" Rachel asked. "I was happily married. Some days I miss him so much I don't even want to leave my bed."

"I'm sorry," Quinn whispered, looking down again.

"No!" Rachel cupped Quinn's chin, forcing her to look at her. "You are not to blame for this. None of this is your fault." Quinn nodded feebly. Rachel sighed, knowing it would take a lot more than that to rid the blonde of her guilt. She still felt guilty about the accident, after all, and that had been ten years ago. "The point I was trying to make was I have never dated a woman before either. Maybe this is my experimental phase too. All I know is the thought of you not in my life in some way terrifies me in ways I can't explain."

"Me too," Quinn admitted breathlessly. Rachel smiled.

"Go on a date with me. If it doesn't work out, I will still be your friend, but we'll both know. Please? I'm not above begging."

"Okay," Quinn finally agreed. Rachel celebrated by leaning over and, as gently as she has ever done anything, kissing her. After a second she pulled away.

"Was that okay?" she asked when she saw tears in the blonde's eyes.

"That was okay," Quinn said, looking at her intently. "Rachel?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm finally ready to come home."

The end.


End file.
